The Sterminio Principle
by WolfKidBirdGirl
Summary: "My dearest Jackson Darby. As your father, I feel obliged to inform you that the world is full of demons. Massive, towering beasts made of metal. But that won't tear you apart, son. Your undoing will be fear and loathing. So watch out, boy, because the monsters and I are coming to get you."
1. Sogno

**Once again I'm trying my hand at a semi-horror fic. Not as gruesome as some of my others, but…pretty dark in comparison. This is a sample chapter I'm putting up, so drop me a line and tell me if you want me to continue. I haven't written a Transformers: Prime story yet, so I guess this is my big break…**

**Anyway, I don't own Transformers: Prime.**

* * *

Jackson Darby hated dreaming.

Well, not always. Not before _the _dreams. Not before he was plagued with images of his mother, Miko, Raf, even Agent Fowler, to some extent. Each dream was the same. Each dream was filled with screaming and metal and the sound of thundering feet – Decepticon feet, he would find out later.

Each time he would have to stare into the dead eyes of his friend. Each time there would be tears and each time, he would wake up.

That was the only way he could tell that it was a dream. An illusion created by his tired mind.

The third night it happened, he snapped. Threw his covers to the side and slipped on a robe and some old, worn slippers. Careful not to awaken his mother, he slipped into the hallway and crept, silent as a mouse, towards the garage.

He hoped Arcee was there. His mother had insisted that she stay at least some night – ever since her run in with Airachnid her paranoia had increased tenfold, though she refused to admit it. She was terrified. Everyone related to the Autobots was, at a certain extent, though most were doing a fine job of not letting it show through.

Heck, even _Miko _had some ounce of terror in her.

Jack opened the door to the garage and saw Arcee, alternate mode abandoned, curled up in a corner. Her helm twisted towards the direction of the sound as Jack gently shut the door behind him, shoving his hands into the pockets of his robe.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?"

Jack shrugged. He'd been robbed of the first word, so he tried to sum up his predicament as best as possible. "I'm having dreams again," he grumbled, slowly pulling up a school. Strands of black hair fell over his eyes as he continued. "Bad, bad dreams. Like, not the usual 'falling off a cliff' or 'showing up at school in your underwear' type bad."

Jack understood that Arcee had never really grasped the concept of dreams. She'd told him the first night that she, as well as the rest of the Autobots, rarely experienced such slumber phenomena's. But still, part of Jack felt more comfortable conversing with her about the matter than, oh, let's say…Ratchet or his mother. He cared deeply about both, he really did, but going straight to his mother would ensure that he never return to the base again, and going to Ratchet meant tedious, lengthy scans and lectures against his will.

So, yeah, Arcee was the best choice. For now.

"What exactly are you seeing?" She asked, leaning closer.

"Just…images. Last night I saw one of my mom…she was screaming and reaching for something. The vision was blurry but there were tears and blood and…" Jack scratched his head. "Not a pleasant sight."

Arcee looked lost for words, which was an odd sight. She stretched out her long, slender legs and rapped knuckled against her blue plated knees. Helm tilting to the side, she said, "You've seen a lot, Jack. It makes sense for you to be having these…um…dreams," she shrugged sheepishly. "Sometimes you can't ever get things out of your head, no matter how hard you try. It's what comes with being a soldier."

"I'm not a soldier," Jack mumbled, glancing at the ground.

"You might as well be. You and Miko and Raf, in a sense. Whenever there's danger, you seem to be there," Arcee gently touched his back with her finger. "And part of that is my fault, but…"

"I get it."

"I don't think that you do," Arcee rested her helm against the garage wall. "I should have acted as a better protector. I can hear you in your sleep, Jack. Moaning and crying. A kid your age shouldn't have to be going through stuff like this."

"Arcee," Jack raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I can take it. I've been through worse, and you know it. Plus, some of them are just old memories. Like, of my mom and…"

He trailed off. He couldn't bring himself to do it, to even mention his father. Even though he was gone, hopefully out of Jack's life for good, he just couldn't bring himself to utter a word about him.

Unless, of course, Arcee asked. Which she did, saying, "What ever happened to him? You father, I mean."

Jack ran his fingers through his black hair. Even while awake, the memory was coming back to him, flooding his mind. When he closed his eyes he couldn't rid himself of it. When he tried and tried and tried to shut it out, it was still there, glaring like an open wound. A maybe, he told himself, that was a message.

He said, "He left."

"Well, I understand that part but…"

"He was a druggie," Jack wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Took all kinds of illegal stuff. He was able to hide it from my mom, hide it from _me_ until I was eleven. But we found out. My mom wasn't too happy. She tried to call the police but you know what he did?"

Arcee didn't respond.

"He threatened to kill her. It took a miracle for some of her work friends to notice that something wasn't quite right. They called the cops for her," Jack felt the stool creak under his weight as he shifted. "But by that time, he had already run off. I don't know if the police have found him or what…"

"Considering the law enforcements reputation…"

Arcee made a motion with her hands, as if expecting Jack to know the answer. He didn't. He really didn't pay attention to Jasper's local constabularies anymore, mostly due to the fact that now, considering the shredding, twenty foot tall beast he'd encountered, the prospect of getting pulled over by one wasn't as frightening as before.

"You need to get some rest," Arcee said. Almost pleading, it seemed. "You don't look too good, Jack."

"I'm fine."

He was far from fine. A headache was beginning to swirl up in his brain and absently he clutched at his temple, wincing.

"Do you want me to talk to Ratchet about this? He should be able to help," Arcee replied. "Or you mom. She probably knows more about this than I do."

"No," Jack grumbled, rising from his stool. Shaking his head, as if that would clear away the pain, he said, "I'm going to go get some water. Maybe find some Advil or whatever."

"Jack…"

"I just don't know what to feel anymore, Arcee. The Decepticon's have been to quiet. M.E.C.H hasn't made an appearance in, like, forever," he turned to the blue Cybertronian, shaking his head. "I feel as if there _should_ be chaos or something going on. And these dreams…there connected somehow."

"Then let me talk to Ratchet," She said firmly. "Don't worry yourself over this anymore than you have too, Jack. Let us take care of it and you…" She nudged him towards the door with her fist. "You get some water and some medicine and …for your sake, and for mine, get some rest."

Jack glanced up at his guardian, and nodded, mouth pulled into a thin line. Then he walked through the door and back into the house, softly closing the door behind him, clicking off the light as he did so.

* * *

Half a mile away, sitting perched in the branches of a large tree, a man adjusted his binoculars and peered through a small crack in the Darby's garage window.

He wasn't short or tall or fat or thin, almost a perfect mix of in between. He was nimble, despite his age, and skilled in almost anything that had to do with espionage. It had come with years of experience monitoring his son, as well as his dear, ex-wife.

Now, he had pictures of them. Both of them. Well, three of them, considering that they'd replaced him with a female, blue beast.

A Cybertronian, as his boss had called it. An alien.

And in such good company, too.

The man let his binoculars dangle around his neck and crouched low, legs wrapping around the branch of the tree. He clicked his tongue and shook his head out of disappointment.

"Mingling with the extraterrestrials, Jacky boy?" A smile graced his lips. "I guess you've missed your daddy way too much."

He raised a pair of finely trimmed eyebrows, blue orbs flashing in the moonlight.

"Don't worry, son. You'll get to see me sooner than you imagined."


	2. Magnetismo

"Ask him."

"No."

"_Ask_ him."

_"No."_

"A – "

_"Miko!"_

Penny wasn't usually one for outburst, but Miko had pushed her button to the point of literally shouting, voice reverberating off the lunch room walls. Everyone around her feel deathly quiet, and then, of course, Miko started to giggle and tried to stifle the sound with a hand slapped over her mouth.

"Loud, dude, loud," she finally said, after removing her hand and leaning forward. She was toying with her fork, dipping it in and out of the white sludge claimed to be mashed potatoes but looked more like toxic waste mixed in with white food coloring. She stared at it and wrinkled her nose in disgust, but Miko misinterpreted it as a response to her earlier statement.

"I'm sorry!"

"No, no," Penny waved a hand. "It wasn't you it was the…never mind."

"So are you going to do it?"

Penny rolled her eyes, and then shot a glance across the lunch room. Jack Darby was at a table, alone, which wasn't a normal thing for him considering the fact that he and Miko were extremely tight – so Sierra had told her – and sat together normally at lunch. Miko had since abandoned her post as Jack's side when he'd grumbled at her earlier during homeroom. He'd been quite antsy the past few days and despite Penny's effort to try and approach him with a conversation, he never seemed willing to chat. Maybe it was Penny herself - the slender, dark-skinned girl had never been one for striking up a worthwhile talk.

"Maybe I'll talk to him later. I like him, alright," Penny felt a blush creep across her cheeks and Miko made a noise through a mouthful of food. "And I know that he likes Sierra and she…sort-of-kind-of likes him back. Sierra is my friend, Miko. I don't want to intervene or anything…"

"Then don't intervene, conquer!" Miko slammed her fist against the table dramatically, and Penny couldn't help the laugh that escaped her. "I mean, Jack is a cool dude. Don't me wrong…"

"…you would know."

"Hey, we're just friends."

Miko's words were true, and Penny had no reason _not_ to believe her. It was just their closeness, the fact that she spent so much time with him and seemed to disappear into this three-man 'computer club' at the end of the day, that had Penny a little doubtful.

Penny tapped her fork against the edge of the table. "Does he ever talk about me?" She asked.

Miko shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. During computer club and stuff," she bit her lip. "He hasn't been too talkative lately."

Penny shot another glance in Jack's direction. His head was hanging over his soup, a jacket wrapped tightly around his shoulders. He glanced up occasionally, giving Penny a good shot of his reddened eyes and his haggard appearance.

"He usually _does_ like to strike up a few points, no matter what they are," she commented.

"Not anymore. He, um, he's just been having bad dreams. Nothing to worry about, I guess," Miko stretched her back, flicking a strand of color tinged hair out of her eyes. "I bet if you go over there and talk to him…"

"No."

"Nervous?"

_"No."_

"You're nervous."

"_No_, I'm not," Penny snapped back. "I just don't want Sierra or _Vince_, for that matter, too see me talking to him. Maybe after class."

"Sissy," Miko stuck her tongue out at Penny, and the other girl just playfully reached across the table and flicked her on the nose. She was grateful to have Miko as a friend, she really was, but the girl could just be so…loud. And talkative. Even more so than Jack, which was saying something.

Especially when it came to boys. While Penny had pointed out the fact that Jack – smart, popular Jack – wouldn't want anything to do with a short, street-educated girl like her, Miko had pushed and pushed for her to try and work out a relationship with him.

She rolled her eyes and picked up her tray at the sound of the bell, watching as Jack did the same.

"Oh well," she said, shaking her head and watching as Miko shot her a look, before disappearing into the crowd. "Maybe next time, Penny."

* * *

If there was one thing that Howard Darby hated more than the aliens, it was someone interrupting his studies.

Hence the reason why he'd dead bolted, sealed the door to his office as he poured over his work with more vigor than before. A single light flickered overhead, swinging back and forth, casting a glow on Howard's hunched figure. Scattered across his desk were tools – a welder, a microscope, jagged metal shaving he'd found in stock. Wires plucked from the depths of an alien itself. The tweezers he had felt heavy in his hands but no matter how hard he tried, how many blueprints he developed and ultimately put to the test, his project just wasn't coming together the way it should have.

He leaned back in his chair, ran fingers through his blonde hair and felt his lips twist into an angry grimace.

Just in time, too.

"Darby?"

He cursed. Sliding his chair out from under him, he set his tools to the side and rose, treading lightly over to the door.

He unlocked it, and at the sound of the bolt sliding out of place did Silas crack open the door and peer through, dark eyes flickering in the soft hue of the light.

"Locking yourself up again, are we? I haven't seen you in three days. Just what exactly are you doing in here?"

Howard gave a sigh of defeat, delving back into the shadows. He opened the door and allowed Silas to enter. Tiptoeing back to his desk, he sat back down, but not before pulling up another stool from the corner and gesturing for his leader to sit.

Then, without preamble, he said, "I'm stuck."

Silas quirked an eyebrow but allowed Howard to continue.

"But don't worry!" He spoke up, waggling a finger. "This project is far from finished. You said it yourself that you have uttermost faith in me, so please, let me…"

"That was before I saw _this_," Silas gestured to the pieces of flattened metal on the desk. "I asked you to build me a weapon, not a chess set."

Howard resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Defiance on his part would mean dismissal, and dismissal…well, M.E.C.H took everything _very_ seriously. People who left the organization? They usually weren't heard from ever again.

He'd already been kicked out of one relationship. He wasn't about to lose…well…whatever his post as M.E.C.H's head engineer provided him.

He said, "This is far from a regular chess set," unadulterated glee flashed across his face, and he rubbed his hands together. Silas leaned forward, trying to act intrigued, but his eyes held more boredom than anything else. Howard continued, saying, "No, this is _the _chess set."

"I asked for a weapon."

"And you will get one," Howard stressed. "You, Silas, speak so much about how we have to 'seize the future' and 'look towards a new technological epoch.' And too do that, you seem fixated on the notion that gigantic weaponry, destructive robots and missiles and nukes will somehow get us there," Howard's fingers absently curled around a pair or tweezers. He picked up a piece of metal – the farthest he had come on his project – and held it up in the light.

Now, Silas seemed somewhat captivated.

The metal sphere was smaller than the nail on his index finger. Lines could be seen clearly etched around it, and in the center was an even small indentation – a light seemed to be shining from within.

Howard was ignoring Silas' look, speaking more to himself now than to anyone else. "You people think that with enough firepower, you can obliterate the alien forces. That is fiction, Silas, and I have no time for fiction. I run on fact. And the inevitable fact is that subtlety is what will ultimately drive us too success," his eyes flickered upward, across Silas' scarred face. "Do you get what I'm saying?"

"I understand the mechanical concept," he nodded slowly. "But what I don't understand is how these," he gripped another, half-finished orb between two gloved fingers, "Will be humanities downfall."

Howard smirked.

"It's simple, really. As soon as these touch skin – human or alien – they latch on like parasites. And then they eat. And eat and eat. And they grow bigger as they eat. Longer. Thicker," Once again the thought made him feel titillated. He fed on the agony of others and as he gave a small snort Silas – the malicious, pitiless warmonger – actually looked _worried._

Howard, still, wasn't finished. "And when they expand it latches onto the little wires, all the nooks and grooves, and sends a direct link back to a human controlled mainframe. There, we have access to memories and thoughts, as well as direct control over their movements and functions. Even their alien tongued can spew whatever we want them to say."

Silas gave a nod.

"It's much more…_discreet_ than your solution."

"And when can you promise me this device? When will it be ready for use?"

"I need to test it out first," Howard reclined in his twirling chair, lacing his fingers together and staring up at the ceiling. "On a human, and then an alien. While adult humans are susceptible, the mind of a child is much more malleable. I'm talking teenagers, twelve, thirteen, fourteen. All the way up to eighteen, and then you're getting into more advanced territory."

"And what of the alien?"

"I'm not an expert in determining extraterrestrial maturity, but that yellow alien, as well as the blue creature that hangs around my…"

He trailed off. Silas raised his eyebrows as Howard cleared his throat.

"I'm surprised that you've taken the liberty of scouting for us, Darby," Silas crossed his arms. "Tell me, what else have you found?"

Howard made a noise in the back of his throat.

"I've just been catching up, that's all. Seeing if my ex-wife has been, um, busy or anything," dropping his composure for a moment, he said, "And my son. I'm not too proud that he'd associated himself with the aliens. If I could change that–"

"Might I warn you," Silas interrupted. "That your son is in the center of the Autobots…well, let's say, 'circle of friends.' Attempting to capture either him or his mother would result in the robots pursuing us. And you know just how_ resilient _they can be."

Howard gulped. He'd never encountered one face to face, but he'd heard the stories. He was an office man, really. He liked to be confined behind closed doors and the idea of an alien bursting through, tearing apart his way of life – or disrupting his work – was enough to send shivers down his spine.

He said, "My mistake. Gunning for someone else would be a wiser decision," he tapped his chin. "But I want a Jasper inhabitant in case the experiment works. I want a spy, is what I'm saying."

"Anything else?"

"Make it someone close to Jack. Someone not involved with the aliens, though. Maybe not someone he'd miss but someone who shares a connection with him in some way. And I prefer that it'd be a female."

"Why?"

He shrugged. "Experimental purposes only."

Silas stood, shooting him one last disturbed glance before walking out the heavy steel door, shutting it behind him.

Howard gave a sly chuckle, twirling the pair of tweezers between his fingers. The delight was getting to his head and he found himself laughing harder as he poured back over his work, the one thing in the universe that kept him _sane._

"Let's the games begin, Jacky boy."


	3. Rabbia

**Next update! Short chapter, I know, but I think that it gets the point across. We're going to start delving farther into the 'horror' side of this story, and I'm contemplating whether or not to change the rating from T to M. I don't know…**

**Anyway, send me your feedback. Tell me if you love it, hate it, or want to flush it down your toilet.**

**I don't own Transformers: Prime.**

* * *

The dreams were getting worse.

Jack's original idea to let them slide, to try and avoid Ratchet as much as possible and make sure that he remained oblivious had pretty much gone down the drain at this point. His mom had already questioned him and he'd told a blatant lie – she hadn't believe it, and had taken his temperature. Upon finding out that it was normal she'd retreated back and hadn't asked him again, but had kept a suspicious eye.

So, the next day he found himself pouring a bowl of cereal and sitting at the table, making an effort to silently portray to him mother that he was fine. His hair was brushed and he'd splashed water over his face to make it look as if he were somewhat awake.

His mother entered the kitchen with a phone in her hand, brow creased in worry. For a moment Jack feared that she had indeed called Ratchet or Optimus or one of them, but when she spoke her voice was low, tinged with hints of grief.

"I'm so sorry, sir. Jack will be…" She trailed off, and then met her sons eye. "He'll be very upset."

She hung up and Jack lifted his head, raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

"A girl in your class… Penny Reed, was it? She's gone missing," his mother held the phone against her shoulder, biting her lip.

The relief came first, then the shock as the words flowed through Jack's brain. Penny? Short, sweet Penny, the girl who sat behind him during History? He'd never paid much mind to her yet the sudden revelation that she was gone sent tiny pinpricks of sorrow up his spine.

Sorrow, and guilt.

He'd never once made an effort to talk to her. She'd sat behind him the entire year and not once had he turned around and said hello. He didn't even think he'd volunteered to be her partner during any project or assignment or anything like that.

Jack rubbed his arm, antsy, his breakfast suddenly seeming much less inviting. Lucky for him it was Saturday, and that gave him another valid reason to visit the Autobot base. He knew that Miko and Penny had been close…

Miko.

Jack couldn't imagine how she was feeling at the moment. He stood, brushing away his mothers reassuring hand.

"Jack?"

"I…Arcee and I have to go take care of some things."

"If this is about Penny…"

"I need to talk to Miko," he said, making his way towards his room so he could at least put on something decent. Bounding up the steps he called back down to her, "I'll be back soon. I promise."

* * *

Raf, for once, didn't know what to do.

Miko's sobs echoed around the base. She sat on the couch, game controller abandoned on the ground. Raf had flicked on the television, something to get her mind off what was happening, but it had just jumped to another news report about Penny Reed and her sudden disappearance.

Raf was an unusually intelligent child, as many had told him. But when it came to dealing with something like this…

He had no clue. What did he say? What did he say to Miko, who had already refused condolences from_ Bulkhead_, of all people. The massive green mech stood beside the platform, mouth turned down in a frown, optics shattered as he watched Miko curl up in a ball and stifle her cried by pressing her mouth against her knees.

Optimus and Bumblebee both stood next to Bulkhead, Bumblebee's door wings dipped ever so slightly as he observed Miko grieve. Ratchet had his back to the monitor, pretending to work on something but visibly shaken.

Finally, Bulkhead said, "They'll find her, Miko. The authorities are all over this…she couldn't have wandered off to far, could she?"

He seemed to look towards Optimus and Bumblebee for an answer. Bee just shrugged, and Optimus shook his head sadly.

Miko sniffed and said, "She didn't 'wander off', Bulkhead! Nobody ever wanders off anymore. She got kidnapped by some creep or whatever or…or…maybe even smashed by Con's!"

"I doubt that Decepticon's had anything to do with this," Ratchet called. "They would have no use for a girl of her stature."

Miko sputtered something unintelligible in Ratchet's direction before turning to Optimus. "You get where I'm coming from, right?" She furiously wiped at her eyes. "Jasper isn't a place where kids just randomly disappear. I mean, she has a clean record. She hasn't done anything bad in her life and yet…yet some of the cops are saying that she ran away," Miko let out a breath, settling back into the couch. "Something happened to her. Something bad. You guys…you guys are all advanced and stuff so maybe you could…"

"Miko," Optimus' soothing tone caused Miko to look up. Raf promptly gripped her hand and gave it a light squeeze. "I am deeply sorry about the loss of your friend. While it is in my best interest to defend this town and its inhabitants, we simply _do_ _not_ have enough evidence that suggests–"

"That she was captured?" Miko shot Optimus a glare that could melt ice. "Reports say that she was driving home from a friend's house yesterday, in the dark, and decided to go into a store and buy some stuff for her mom. People saw her in the store and then she left. That's it. They found her car in the parking lot, but no Penny."

"Well, was there any security footage?" Raf asked hesitantly.

"Of her buying some milk and eggs? _Yeah_. Point is, she left the store and didn't come home," Miko's mouth curled upward in a nasty grimace. "The parking lot was packed. Penny is a fighter, so I doubt that she gave up easily. If she screamed, someone would have heard her. Whoever captured her was so skilled that they managed to do it in the thick of things, without getting caught. What do you say about that, Prime?"

Optimus furrowed his brow and said, "I've seen the felons this planet can produce. In a world of emerging technology it is highly likely that a few skilled, armed criminals saw Penny as a prize, and decided to take her," noticing Miko's awed, heartbroken look he sighed and said, "_However_, I am _not_ a mech capable of predicting the cause of every single wrongdoing this war – or this planet – throws at us. For Penny's sake, at least, I will have Agent Fowler see what he can do."

Miko collapsed back into the chair, sighing. She ran her fingers through her black hair and fluttered her eyelids, snapping back upward when she heard the familiar sound of an approaching engine.

Raf peered over Bumblebee's shoulder, and Optimus twisted his neck to get a look.

Miko was bounding down the stairs before Arcee had even transformed, face red with rage. Raf followed, sliding down the railing and breaking into a sprint, dodging beneath Bumblebee's spread legs.

"Miko–"

_"You two-faced, selfish jerk!"_

The ire in Miko's words had Raf – and all the Autobots – freezing in their tracks. Arcee barely had time to react as Miko shoved Jack as hard as she could, sending him tumbling back onto the ground.

"Did you ever even _talk _to her?" Miko shouted. "Did you ever even try to have a decent conversation with her? You've been such a selfish little_ brat_ the past week, did you know that? Moping around like your life sucks. Well, news flash, Jack, Penny's got it way worse than you ever have!"

Bulkhead stepped forward, kneeling down, reaching out to touch Miko's back. The teenager shrugged him off, crossing her arms and watching as Jack picked himself up off the ground.

"She liked you," Miko's voice was deathly low. "Penny. She had a crush on you. And you barely even noticed that she existed because you were too busy either brooding or eyeballing Sierra or whatever."

Jack stepped back, shrinking behind Arcee's leg. The blue femme knelt down, opening her mouth as if she were going to say something, and then shaking her head.

"_Miko_," Bulkhead said quietly, breaking the deep silence that had spread through the room. "Do you mind if we go for a drive? Talk about this for a second. Taking you anger out on Jack won't do you any good."

Hot tears dripped down Miko's face as she shook her head, and then watched as Bulkhead transformed.

She wrenched open the front door and slid into the passenger's seat, shooting Jack one last final glare. Her fists were shaking and her eyes were red, but she finally crossed her arms, closed her eyes, and let Bulkhead shut the door for her.

Then, they drove away.

Raf watched silently as Jack stared out from around Arcee's leg. "I didn't know," he said to no one in particular. "I didn't know that she…"

"It's not your fault," Arcee said to him. She glanced up at Optimus and said, "What are we going to do about this?"

Prime turned to Ratchet.

"Call Agent Fowler. Tell him that we have a problem."


	4. Paura

"I didn't mean to snap at Jack like that."

Miko watched as the screen on the dashboard in front of her flickered. She had her legs curled up against her, head resting against the cushioned seat. As soon as they had exited the base and pulled onto the main road, an overwhelming sense of guilt had washed over her.

She'd lashed out. She normally didn't do stuff like that, but today had been difference. Penny's disappearance was like a knife in her heart, twisting, twisting, pieces flaking away one by one.

She'd long since wiped away her tears, but the pain was still there.

"Miko…I understand. I've done the same thing before. You were worried," Bulkhead's voice was calm and soothing. "But that still doesn't justify your actions."

"I know."

"Do you get what I'm saying? Arcee told me that Jack…he isn't doing so well. He's been stressed."

"Yeah, yeah," Miko waved a hand dismissively. "The dreams. He doesn't want to tell Ratchet because he thinks that they're nothing. I want him to feel better, Bulkhead, but he has to actually do something about it."

"Maybe you should tell him that."

"Yeah, right," Miko snorted. "After the way I talked to him a second ago? He probably doesn't want anything to do with me anymore…"

Bulkhead gave a sigh that filtered through his speakers. Suddenly the cab seemed very, very tiny, and Miko could feel her guardians staring at her from every angle. Absently, she pulled her legs even tighter against her body, shivering.

"If he's your friend, he'll accept your apology. You remember Wheeljack, right? Well, he and I used to get into all sorts of arguments. But he forgave me, because we were friends," Bulkhead chuckled. "Just like I'll always forgive you."

"Well, Bulk," Miko patted the dashboard affectionately. "You'd have to anyway. You're kind of stuck with me," then, she gave a small frown. "What would you and Wheeljack argue about, anyway?"

"Oh…senseless stuff, really."

Miko cocked an eyebrow. She knew by his tone that he didn't want to talk about it, and her initial instinct was to poke and prod him further. But, for once, she kept her mouth closed and crossed her arms, easing her legs out so that they touched the floorboard. "Penny and I argued," she said. "Mostly about boys. Nothing seriously friendship-damaging."

"I'm sure you'll be right back at it, sooner or later. We'll find her Miko," Bulkhead assured her. "Agent Fowler will be all over this case. It just stinks of…well…"

"Decepticon's?"

"More like human intervention. I'm no detective, but even I can tell that this is a bit fishy. Especially for a safe, sheltered place like Jasper."

Miko nodded. As they sped past open desert, she couldn't help but reach out and, once again, pat Bulkhead's dashboard.

"Thanks, Bulk," she said, smiling. "You probably didn't want to sit through that sob story, but…"

"Hey," he answered. "That's what friends are for, right?"

Miko smiled for the first in what felt like days.

* * *

_"Wake up, girl."_

Someone was slapping her. Bashing her cheeks between two calloused hands.

_"Wake up!"_

Penny awoke.

The hot beam of white light hit her like a bullet and she groaned, squeezing her eyes shut once more. Splashes of red danced across her vision, and her tongue felt dry, as if someone had shoved cotton down her throat.

She sputtered. Coughed. Dared to open her eyes and survey the scene before her, the last traces of light fading from her vision.

A lit bulb hung overhead. The room was dank, beads of water dripping off the stone walls. They were underground, she presumed, and she was sitting upright in a chair, hands bound tightly behind her back. The cool metal was stretched so taut that it cut through her skin when she tried to move, and drew blood.

She hissed.

_What was going on?_

_Where was she?_

She fluttered her eyes and looked up. Standing partly in the light, strands of dark hair hanging over his eyes, was a man. Middle aged, it looked. Structure gaunt, skin pale like a ghost. The gleam in his sparkling eyes was that of a rabid dog, or a disheveled lion.

It seemed as if that was his permanent expression. Lips pulled into a thin line, he tilted his head to the side.

"You're awake."

_Way to state the obvious._

His lips split into a grin, though not the type full of genuine happiness. It was if Penny were the zebra and he…he was about to somehow devour her.

She tried to wriggle out of her bonds. "Who are you?" She asked in panic. "Where am I?"

"Who am I?" He extended a hand, and then realized that Penny's own appendages were somewhat caught up. "Howard Darby. Where are you? It doesn't matter, because this room is the last place you'll be, or, um, the last place you'll ever_ remember_ being."

Penny opened her mouth. Darby? Of course fate should dictate that it be Jack's father. She didn't know the entire story behind the reason his father had left, just that he had, and Penny was to leave it at that.

Now she understood why Jack's mother had kicked her husband out.

If that revelation wasn't enough, the fact that she had no idea where she was or how she'd gotten here seemed to paralyze her for a second. She remembered driving. Yeah. Driving to the store and buying some milk, eggs, maybe a bit more…

She'd walked to her car. Someone had parked beside her, a green vehicle whose door had been way to close…

They'd opened their doors and…

Yeah. She'd been snagged then, she assumed. They'd fired a silent shot from their guns and had hauled her limp form into their car.

Nobody had even seen it happen.

And now she was here, listening to a madman spew crap. She cursed silently and struggled against her restraints some more, but that drew even more blood and she found herself stifling back a sudden, inevitable sob.

"What's the matter?" Howard quirked a finely trimmed eyebrow. "I'm not a bad man. Really, once you get to know me I can be _so. Much. Fun."_

Penny twisted her hands once more and the blood dripped onto the stone, little drops blossoming against rough granite.

"What do you want me for?" She hissed.

Howard waggled a finger, delving back into the shadows. Penny squinted and could make out a table in the corner littered with tools. Pliers. A long, curved scalpel. Something that looked like a blowtorch. Gloves. An IV.

He pulled on a pair of plastic gloves, and then skipped over the rest and picked up something nestled on a small piece of paper. Holding it between his two fingers he emerged back into the light, leaning down so Penny could get a better view.

It was a sphere, no bigger than her fingernail. A red dot marked the center, twirling, and Penny could vaguely hear the sound of twisting gears…

He thrust it close to her face and she reeled back, lips twitching upward in disgust.

"You're a fan of technology, I presume? I was looking over your records and you seem like quite the mechanically gifted little girl," a chuckle. "If so, then you'll just _adore _what I have in store for you. Miss Reed, was it? Or do you prefer that I call you Penny?"

Throat dry, voice barely above a rasp, she answered, "Penny. Call me Penny."

Howard nodded in understanding, and then tapped his finger against his chin in thought. The other hand clenched around the metallic sphere, and he said, "Whatever suits you. Anyway, Penny, this little device I have right here," he shook his curled fist. "I call it a mindeater. Appropriate title, huh? I created it myself."

"What does it do?" Penny dared to ask. She stared into the eyes of this madman and saw no hesitation, no remorse as he answered her question.

"It's a parasite, really. I can control_ everything_, Penny," he unclenched his fist and there, nestled in the dip where two fingers met, was the sphere. "More importantly, I control you. What you do. What you say. How you walk and where. I could use you for my own selfish pleasures, but you know what…" He gave a saddened frown. "I have other people I must please. And you, Penny? Well, you should be honored. You're the first step to a new era of peace."

He walked around Penny's chair, slowly, each step calculated. He ended up kneeling beside her, gripping the back of her shirt and pulling to reveal the back of her neck. He brushed away her hair and pressed his thumb against the soft flesh, feeling, clicking his tongue as he did so.

"This is the spot," he whispered, his words a breath against Penny's ear. She couldn't move, couldn't speak because the fear was getting to her now, clouding her mind and transforming her into some type of vegetable. She should have reeled away from Howard's touch but she couldn't, each movement causing the metal to dig deeper into her wrist and draw more blood.

"Now," he said, clapping his hand together and Penny felt the urge to curse, to spit in his direction. "Let's get started. I'm on a tight schedule, so we need to kick this off as soon as we can."

He waved a finger.

Penny heard a door open behind her. More light flooded the room and long abandoned light bulbs overhead flickered into existence, magnifying the twinkling stone walls around her. She squinted, getting used to the light, as well as the flood of visitors. They'd been standing in the corners the entire time, watching her display of…well, fear. They were masked in green, faced hidden behind thin fabric. Emotionless eyes stared from behind dense lenses and Penny, out of sheer terror, gave a scream as they rushed towards her.

Metal clinked together and out of the corner of her eye Penny saw Howard rummaging through the tools on the table. He came unfurled a ratty piece of cloth and walked over.

Penny screamed again.

_I'mgonnadieI'mgonnadie_

Over and over in her head she shouted.

She thought of her mom. Her two brothers, one in college the other graduating. Her father, who she barely got to see because he worked far, far away.

She thought of Miko. Oh, god, Miko. And Jack. And all her friends at school, despite the fact that they were few in number.

She would never see them again.

_PleasesomeonehelpmepleaseIdon'twanttodie…._

She opened her mouth to scream again but Howard was suddenly kneeling in front of her, shoving the cloth into her mouth. Her words came out muffled, barely above a groan.

"Hush, _hush_," he cooed, holding her head between his hands, massaging the flesh of her cheek. "There's no need to make any noise," he jerked his chin towards the nearest goon, and they, in turn, lifted her hair away from her neck.

Penny felt something cool press against her flesh. She thrashed around and the man cursed, the pressure was suddenly released.

"Keep her still, Darby," someone snarled. Howard, rolling his eyes, focused a pair of bright eyes on Penny's face, cooing words of comfort.

"It'll be alright, Penny," he whispered. "All you'll feel is a little prick. Like getting a shot or…or getting your blood tested. And then, _whoosh_! All your problems are gone. You won't remember a thing, Penny girl. You won't remember this meeting or…or anything anybody's ever done to you. You won't even remember _who you are_…"

More pressure. Another attempt to scream.

"Just press the button," Howard crowed.

Penny felt the needle, the thin piece of metal, slid into her neck. She twitched, as if she had been shocked, but Howard kept a firm grip on her head.

Someone started to burn. Something wet, trickling from the needle. It took Howard's gasp from behind her and the thug's sudden cry to realize that it was working. It was eating. Digging, digging into her flesh and Penny tried to scream, but nothing came out. She felt the blood trickle down her back and onto her shirt. The pressure had increased, tenfold, and she could feel, and hear the thing burrowing past layers of cartilage and muscle, sinking like a snake towards the center of her back.

"It's _working_," Howard said, his voice barely a cry. Penny's vision was fluctuating wildly, Howard's face shifting into view, and then out of view, and then in and out and…

The realization that the creature was latching onto her spine, sinking invisible teeth into the bone and shocking her senseless caused her to scream, even with the gag.

Howard smiled.

"How's that for ingenuity?" He gave her cheeks and squeeze and she, barely clinging onto consciousness, let her head tilt back and her eyes roll into the back of her head. As her last shred of sanity slipped away, stolen, she heard Howard utter four words she would never remember.

"Welcome to M.E.C.H, Penny."


	5. Rivoluzione

**I'm back, again! Told you that I would be updating quickly - and by quickly, I mean probably about once a day or once every two days, depending on mu schedule. I do so enjoy writing this story, and I hope you enjoy reading it. Which means...review and tell me if you do or don't or whatever. This story will be considerably shorter than most of my other ones. With that said, we still have a few plot points to get past, as well as the conclusion. This is a horror story, so don't expect all of the characters to get off easy.**

**Anyway, I don't own Transformers: Prime. Just Penny Reed and Howard Darby.**

* * *

"So you say that you're having….visions?"

Jack sighed and ran his fingers through his mop of black hair. Ratchet stood in front of him, arms crossed, lip plates pulled into a scowl. Arcee had been the bearer of bad news and Jack had tried to explain why he hadn't talked to someone earlier; Ratchet hadn't wanted to hear it.

Inexcusable, he'd said, and Jack had found himself believing the stern, white and orange medic.

Optimus had been silent during most of the exchange. His expression had fluctuated with Ratchet's – surprise, confusion, then disappointment. Jack assumed that, while the banter was taking place, he'd been internally speaking to Bulkhead.

Who, in turn, had Miko with him. They had yet to return and Jack wasn't worried, but still filled with a bit of guilt. Raf had reassured him that Miko hadn't meant what she said, that she was just lashing out, but still…

You never knew with Miko.

"Dreams, Ratchet," he replied, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Humans have them all the time…"

"But_ excessively_ like this? _Vivid_, like the way Arcee described them?" Ratchet shook his head. "Something isn't right. Jack…can you give me as many details as possible regarding these…um…_dreams_."

Jack glanced at Raf with nervous eyes, and the younger boy just shrugged. He wasn't providing any backup in the matter.

"My dad," he finally answered. "A lot of them have to do with my father, from when I was younger. When he and my mom were still together," Jack shuddered. "He was a scientist. A very renowned scientist, in fact. He's the reason I hate needles."

"Why is that?" Arcee asked.

"Ah, you know, he tested most of his experiments on mice," Jack gave a sheepish laugh. "You know, like scientist do…"

None of the Autobots were buying his story. Ratchet cocked and eyebrow, as did Optimus. Bumblebee tilted his head to the side and Arcee just stared. He knew the true reason why his father had run off, why his mother had insisted the he leave in the first place. It wasn't something he thought about much, but as he'd grown older, he'd realized that the purpose for his parent's separation was completely unorthodox.

And illegal.

"Jack," Arcee said soothingly. "You can tell us. It's not like we're going to go blurt it out to the world."

Jack closed his eyes and said, "Fine, fine, but it's not something that I like to talk about," he shook his head for emphasis. "First off, my dad was a genius. A very, very smart guy. I don't remember what department he was in, but it was something important," Jack opened his eyes. "Like I said before, he had mice to test. But sometimes he ran out and got tired of animals, so he decided to take a different approach. Human lab rats," he wrinkled his nose in disgust. "My mom said that when he found out she was pregnant with me…he was happy. Not because he would have a son, but because it meant someone else to test."

Arcee made a noise in the back of her throat, tilting one hip to the side and staring in disbelief.

"Don't worry," Jack said. "It didn't last long and he didn't do it frequently…just…well, up until I was eleven. By that point someone had figured out that he'd been testing other humans and shut his department down. My mom was livid, but hesitant to leave him…until she found out what he'd been doing to me all these years. That was it. She was done, and she kicked him out."

"And all those years, you kept silent?" Ratchet said skeptically.

"I was a _kid_, Ratchet! As I got older he got more discreet about it…slipping stuff into my drink, pricking me in my sleep…he was clever," Jack shook his head. "I don't know if these dreams are a side effect of what he'd done to me during those years, but…"

"That could be one cause," Optimus said. "Or you could just be reliving events from your past. From what I've found, recreating traumatic, previous events through sleep-induced visions is a common trait acquired by some humans."

"Yeah," Raf said, meeting Jack's troubled gaze. "Unless you're seeing other things, too."

Jack was silent.

"Jack…" Arcee said carefully.

"Some of the dreams are…well, they never happened to me," he responded. "I don't know if they're things that are going on somewhere else or…or stuff that's to happen in the future. They could just be plain, old, regular dreams. I don't know."

"Uncertainty will lead to results, Jack, don't you worry," Ratchet said, turning back to the monitor. "I have a very bad feeling that your father–"

"Has something to do with Penny's disappearance?" Raf interjected. "I think that was on everyone's mind."

"And if so," Optimus added, "We'll be facing a much more dangerous enemy than previously anticipated."

Arcee groaned and Bumblebee warbled something Raf seemed to agree on. The youngest human said, "I know, Bee. More evil human interference. And we thought that M.E.C.H was bad…"

"They still are," Jack said softly. "And that worries me the most…"

* * *

"Good hit," Howard whispered.

The girl before him was standing rigid, posture impossibly straight. Her head, though, seemed tilted at an angle always and her hands were shaking. Her eyes had glazed over and were now staring at Howard, a dull, milky opaque that had even him shuddering.

But it was beautiful. His creation, right here. His little mind-controlled slave.

He couldn't wait, really, for the rest of M.E.C.H to get their hands on these things. But at the same time he knew that his wishes were a fantasy. Silas wasn't stupid enough to entrust a vast majority of his followers with deadly devices such as these.

They were for emergencies, as he'd said when he'd entered the room. Silas himself was pacing around Penny, studying her features and pulling his lips into a thin line.

"What can she do?" He asked.

"No, what can _it _do. Penny here is no longer part of humanity," Howard sauntered over to the thin, glowing green screen in the corner. The menu had been pulled up and, hurriedly, he clicked on the controls. "It has computer control, and voice control," he clicked on an icon in the corner. "I have it on voice control for the moment."

"Who is it synced to?"

"Me, for now," Howard chuckled. "I don't expect you to be nervous, Silas. While her sense have been enhanced, somewhat, she is still no match for an experienced fighter such as yourself."

Flattery. It seemed to work, and Silas smirked before stopping in front of Penny. Slowly, the girl tilted her head upward and stared at the man with glassy, white eyes.

Silas leaned down. Peered into her invisible irises and gripped her face.

"Will it react to touch?"

"Not unless I tell it to."

Silas released Penny, and the girl's head lolled back before snapping forward.

"Penny, come over here for a moment," Howard gestured with his finger and the girl walked, limping slightly, expression still stoic and cold. She brushed past Silas without a second thought. She stood close to Howard – so close that her chest brushed against his arm and he couldn't help but leer in her direction. Young, old, she was attractive in her own way…

Whatever. Silas was noticing his malicious expression and had raised an eyebrow that suggested he _stop._

"What do you plan on doing with her?" Silas asked softly.

"She's mine, for now. She's my tool," Howard gently grabbed a fistful of Penny's hair and twisted. She didn't give a cry of pain, or try and wrench away. Howard shook her like a towel. "My pretty, _obedient_ little tool. I'll keep her in reserve. My next point of business has to do with the aliens."

"You need a test subject?"

"Precisely. And_ my _tool," he gripped Penny once more. "Is going to be our bait. The parasite inside her, the one connected to her spine…I'll have it send out a signal and attract an alien. I need your boys to bag it and bring it back as quickly as possible."

"And once we do?"

Howard grinned. "We let the revolution begin."

* * *

They crouched behind a massive slab of rock, Silas with the binoculars and Howard beside him. The air was stale with the taste of dust, the green clad M.E.C.H soldiers crouched around the face of the ravine.

Silas and Howard were the closest to Penny. She'd been instructed to lean against a rock that jutted out of the ground, eyes closed, as if she were lost in a deep sleep. Occasionally her hand would twitch or her lip would curl upward, and Howard wondered if she really _was_ asleep.

"If this doesn't go as planned," Silas warned.

"It will go fine," Howard replied bitterly. "I'm ashamed that you don't trust me."

"You do have a record of being a bit…unstable."

_Unstable? Of course he was unstable! And the unstable thing about knowing that he was unstable was…was…_

Whatever. It didn't matter anymore.

He shook his head, brushing away strands of hair as they fell over his eyes. He shuffled through the dirt, sleeves caked with dust and straw. Silas was stiff, unmoving, peering through his binoculars and down towards Penny.

"Any minute now…" He hissed.

"There!" Howard said, a bit more loudly than he'd meant too. Silas shushed him and then scooted back into cover, binoculars abandoned. The sound was that of an approaching jet, much softer than Howard had expected, but a jet, no doubt.

He'd only seen the aliens from far away, when he slinked off to spy…well, _observe_ his ex-wife.

The jet approaching was long, black, and sleek. It was a spy drone, Howard realized.

And it _wasn't _an Autobot.

_Damn…_

Howard bit her lip, but held his ground. The creature had circled around the clearing, and then transformed, figure outlined by the glaring moonlight. Metal plating slid into place, long, curved joints absorbed the impact as it landed, sending up a billowing cloud of dust.

Howard held his breath.

Silas spoke into his earpiece, but Howard ignored him. He was watching the creature, marveling at it, tilting his head to the side and trying not to smile.

Magnificent, really. Though he hated them he couldn't help but admire their structure. And that was a new thing for him, considering the fact that he didn't truly _admire _many things anymore.

"Is everyone in position?" He asked Silas.

"Of course."

"Then kick it off," Howard whispered. The creature was walking with slow, calculated steps towards Penny. The girl was drooling slightly, figure sliding down the rock. The alien kneeled down, making a move to try and fling the rock to the side.

"_Now_," Silas growled.

The humans made their move and the poor creature could only rear up in alarm. The cables shot from the shadows, snagging its armor and shocking it with enough force to bring it to its knees.

But it was reacting, no doubt. Gripping the cables and pulling, the electricity snaking across its frame.

Silas cursed.

Howard reached up under his coat and pulled out a launcher. The weapon was loaded with mindeaters, all lined up in a row.

"Darby!" Silas snarled, breaking from his cover and following the scientist down the path, towards the conflict. The smell of burning metal was in the air, the creature writhing and twitching but still able to put up a fight. As Howard approached, he got a better glimpse of the alien. Smooth, black plating covered its chest. It's legs seemed crooked, bent at an angle that gave it an almost birdlike countenance. Its face was hidden behind a visor that flickered with each blow of energy.

"Decepticon?" Howard quirked an eyebrow, cocking the launcher. Silas caught up, gripping his shoulder.

"What are you doing?"

"Taking the shot," Howard answered. The creature was down, but still fighting back. Legs kicked at the cables, but his energy was dwindling. He'd already swatted a couple of humans, and their twisted, broken bodies lay several feet away, crimson beginning to puddle around them.

Howard lifted the gun, and then met the creatures hidden face.

"_Night, night, birdy_," he whispered, and pulled the trigger.

The mindeater smashed into the aliens shoulder, and then began to crawl its way across the armor, onto the back of the neck. The alien didn't make a sound, but instead twitched wildly.

And then it went still. A sudden cold washed over the visor, the screen flashing and then fading to white.

It stood upright, the cables falling from around its body.

It didn't move.

Howard blew on the muzzle of the launcher, laughing, staring, and then doubling over and laughing once more.

He snapped back up and said, "I've seen you on the reports, alien," a chuckle. "You don't talk. In fact, you never talk. But you can…and now…I want you to," his voice dropped down to a low coo. "_Talk to me, alien_. Tell me your name."

The creature was silent. Behind its visor, Howard assumed that it was opening its mouth. Suddenly, in a voice laced with metallic, monotone, free from any discernible passion, it spoke.

_"Designation: Soundwave."_


	6. Agonia

**For all of those eagerly awaiting the next chapter...here it is! I have to admit, Howard Darby is starting to creep me out. Which is saying something, since I pretty much created him.**

**Anywho, send me your feedback! We're heading into epic conclusion territory, as well as the end of this story - I know, if was short - so stay tuned!**

**I don't own Transformers: Prime**

* * *

Jack returned home, hopping off Arcee and letting her transform in the garage. His mother was there, leaning against the door, waiting, with a hot cup of coffee in her hands. She looked tired, black hair framing her face, dark circles under her eyes.

"Why is this family so tired all of a sudden?" Jack groaned. His mother shot Arcee a look and the Cybertronian shrugged, kneeling down and resting her back against the wall. She closed her eyes, and seemed to drift off for a moment.

"How is everybody?" His mother asked him, opening the door and leading him inside. She gave a small wave and Arcee nodded, closing her eyes once more.

Once inside, Jack shed his coat and made his way into the kitchen, pulling up a stool and resting his elbows against the granite countertop. He blew away a strand of black hair, watching as his mother stood in front of him, eyebrows raised.

"That was longer than I thought it would be," she smiled softly. "Did you talk to Miko?"

"Yeah," Jack sighed. "She didn't take it too well. She and Bulkhead went for a drive and…"

He had trailed off. He really wasn't in the mood to repeat the entire conversation, especially the parts regarding his father. But he _would_ ask questions, and he hoped, for his own sake, that his mother would cooperate.

"Mom?" He said cautiously. His mother looked up as she shuffled through the mail, tossing papers into the trash.

"What is it, Jack?"

"I've never really thought about this before…I mean, I have, but just not recently," he laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. "What was the real reason you and dad…you know…"

Hearing it from his mother's own mouth would confirm his suspicions, he assumed. Now that she was an avid believer of alien races…maybe she'd held things back, things that she thought Jack hadn't been ready to hear.

Dark eyes flickered upward, and her mouth pulled into a tight line. Then, she sighed and stood up straight, stretching her back.

"Why the sudden curiosity?"

Jack hung his head. His mother was a master at reading between the lines, and as soon as Jack looked up she was staring at him sadly, shaking her head.

"Are you having dreams?" She asked.

Jack blanched. Then, he stuttered, "What…h-how did you know?"

"Arcee," she raised her hands to silence Jack before he could spit out his next words. "She was very sweet about it. She knew that you were suffering, Jack, and that you didn't want to go to Ratchet. She said that I was the next best thing."

"How long have you known?"

"She came to me a few days after they started," His mother glanced at the garage door. "And I suspected this much. You father was a strange man, Jack. At least, when I first met him. But love makes you stupid," she grimaced. "We married so quickly…I didn't even do a reality check to see if he was…you know,_ insane_."

_Insane?_ The way she said it was agonizing, as if the very word was a curse.

"But I loved him, at the time. I still do," She glanced down at the granite, tracing patterns on the dark surface. "He just…he just has some issues. And it's hard, Jack, it really is. After what he did to you…"

"Sticking me with needles?" Jack said harshly. "Experimenting on his only son? You forgave him for that?"

"I know. I hate it too," his mother narrowed her dark eyes. "Don't think for one_ second_ that if he were to come crawling through that door, that I would willingly let him take me back. We're done, Jack. That's the deal. _However_," she raised a finger. "I've seen the worst of people, Jack. I've seen what they can do. And I pray every night, hoping, wishing that he'll somehow manage to shed that awful skin of his and try to live and better life. It's all I_ can_ do."

She stared at Jack with pleading eyes, and he shuddered his eyelids. Sliding off the stool, he said, "I just have a feeling that…that all of this is linked. Penny disappearing, these dreams…"

"You need to get some rest, Jack. You've had a pretty eventful day," She embraced Jack quickly, kissing him on the forehead and then ushering him off to bed. "Nurses orders."

Jack scoffed, making his way up the stairs, towards his room. Already he was dreading the notion of sleep. Sleep meant dreams.

Dreams? Well, he didn't know what that meant exactly.

* * *

"What did you find?"

Miko was ecstatic. She sat on the couch, knees pressing into the cushion. Raf was standing next to the monitor, hands braced on the edge of the brown chair.

Both teens were watching Agent Fowler as he stood behind the railing, arms crossed over his chest. When Miko spoke he turned, closing his eyes and shaking his head, saying, "The site was difficult to book, and we did the best that we could. This isn't considered a Federal investigation, you know. People go missing all the time," he sighed when he noticed Miko's distraught expression. "But we were able to recover some evidence."

"Mark out the Decepticon's," Bulkhead grumbled. "They don't know _how_ to leave evidence."

"It was someone much more clumsy," Agent Fowler reached into his pocket and pulled out a small quarter. Or, at least Miko assumed that it was a quarter. It was flat, except for the small lump in the center. It took her a moment to figure out that it was a bullet – an oddly shape one, no doubt.

"What_ is_ that?" Ratchet asked.

"It came from a weapon. A highly advanced one, no doubt. It's a bullet meant to stun," he flipped the bullet in between his fingers, scowling. "They must have missed the first time. We confiscated this one from the police, and then found another stuck to the tire of Miss Reed's car."

"Is that all?" Optimus responded, raising an eyebrow.

"Who knows? This was all we needed," Fowler braced his hands on the railing, squeezing until the flesh turned white. "It was M.E.C.H."

Miko hated it, but she gave a sigh of relief. Better M.E.C.H than the Decepticon's. In a way, it was better. Penny would be easier to rescue and maybe, just maybe, Miko would get to run some human-on-human interference, and avenge her friends capture.

She doubted it, though. Ah well. Girl could only hope.

"What are we going to do about it?" Miko spoke up, pigtails whipping around as she stared at Bulkhead. "Smash and run? Send Bulk and I in there. We could–"

"There will be no '_we_,' Miko," Optimus interrupted. Immediately, the teenager fell silent and shrunk back. "I anything, we will use Bulkhead as a distraction. An Autobot like him would be a great prize for Silas," he turned, and then shot Agent Fowler a look. "There is so much more that needs to be done…"

"Locations," Ratchet added. "Coordinates. We have no idea where Penny has been taken…"

All eyes turned to Agent Fowler, and he smiled. "Don't worry, Prime. My boys have tabs on every M.E.C.H base known. Vast in number, scattered, but we have the resources we need," he shot Miko a wink. "We'll find her. I promise."

* * *

"Two _marvelous_ creations," Howard reveled at Soundwave and Penny, grinning like a shark. Silas stood behind him, fingers laced together behind his back. His expression was stretched taut, as if he were trying hard not to say something insulting.

Soundwave's head nearly brushed the hangar ceiling, but Howard was too excited to care. Penny's milky eyes were wide, matching Howard's own look, but she didn't say a word. Her movements were still awkward and jerky but it was a start – Howard could improve if he needed too.

And he would. Soon, the entire Autobot faction would be his mindless slaves. And then, the Decepticons. He would have an entire army at his disposal…

Yes. _His_ disposal. Silas wasn't a part of his plans anymore. He was expendable.

The thing was, Silas had the rest of M.E.C.H to back him. Howard just had an alien and a teenage girl. An odd combination, but it would get the job done.

"What comes next, Darby? This experiment of yours," Silas wrinkled his nose in disgust. "This has to come to a conclusion."

"No, no, it doesn't _have_ to. _You_ just _want_ it too," Howard snarled. "Progress takes time, Silas. Don't rush it."

The two armed men behind Silas seemed to take a step forward, and then falter when Howard made a motion with his hand, and Soundwave promptly mimicked their actions. Silas narrowed dark eyes in Howard's direction and the scientist grinned, spreading his arms out wide.

"I have a few errands to run, alright?" He winked and turned his back to the M.E.C.H leader. "I have places to go, people to…well…you'll see," absently he reached into the pocket of his lab coat and felt the wrinkled up photograph. He didn't dare pull it out, and the image was already in his mind.

His gorgeous ex-wife. He couldn't wait to see her again, and despite not having glanced at the picture he could already imagine her expression when he returned. Disbelief. Anger. Hate. Sadness.

Those were the expressions that made her beautiful, Howard thought. A simple smile was too little. Too predictable. With pain, there were _so_ many different types….

A scowl, really, could turn him on. That was why he did what he did – just to watch the pain, the grief of other people. And the screaming. Oh, the screaming…

Howard licked his lips and stalked forward, lightly touching Penny on the shoulder.

"Penny, be a dear and stay with Silas," he whispered in her ear. "If he touches you, slice him apart."

He brushed a strand of hair out of Penny's face, watching as white eyes stared emotionlessly back at him.

He clicked his tongue and Soundwave spun, following him towards the hangar exit, leaving Silas, Penny, and the others behind him, watching.

Howard thumbed the photograph in his pocket and cooed to himself. "Oh dear _June_…I hope you're ready to _play_."


	7. Distruzione

It took much hesitation on June's part, but she allowed Jack to return to the Autobot base. She had uttermost faith in the mechanical beings, but still, with Jack being her only child – her life, practically – she held just a tad bit of panic regarding the fact that he was actively involved in a…well…war.

No matter how many times Arcee reassured her, no matter how many times she spoke to Agent Fowler about the matter, that little spark of trepidation never ceased.

June sighed as she walked through her front door, hanging her coat on its rack. Jack still had yet to return and for a moment she thought about calling him, and then faltered when she glanced into the living room.

A light was on.

She hadn't left a light on.

June placed her keys on the counter and walked with slow, cautious steps. She could hear something rustling, like paper, and the occasional bored sigh.

"Jack…?" She said, narrowing her eyes. A shadow fell across the wall behind her, a human shadow, and she rolled her eyes, stepping into the living room, hands on her hips.

She froze.

It wasn't Jack.

It was someone who looked like Jack. An older version, it seemed. Like her son had twenty years of so. She knew it wasn't him, though, the moment she laid eyes on that black hair, the shaven face and the soft, angular features.

She hadn't seen that face in…what? Over six years?

The man finally noticed her presence, taking in her rigid figure. He raised a hand and gave a wave, magazine falling from his fingers as he set it on the couch.

"It's not nice to stare, babe," he said, tilting his head to the side. "My, oh my. That pretty face of yours hasn't aged a_ day_," he stood, smoothing out his white coat, grinning like a shark. It was a different sort of smile, not his usual playful, shady one. He'd developed it into something else altogether in the past few years.

It was monstrous.

"How did you get in here," June stammered. "W-What are you doing in here?"

"What? Come on now," Howard said, rolling his eyes. "You can't still be upset over what happened…over what I did to Jacky boy," he stepped closer, and June stepped back. "It was for the good of _science_, sweetheart. How is the dear boy, anyway? I hope he hasn't associated himself with the…hm…_wrong crowd_."

A part of June's mind was skeptical. He was implying something, something that she didn't want to ponder over, because it would confirm her suspicions that he knew more than he was letting on.

But she didn't even have to ask. He came out and said it, brows creasing in anger, backing June against the wall. Strong hands gripped her wrist and she cried out, glaring at him, resisting the urge to spit in his face.

Howard's thumbs dug into her pressure points, little pinpricks of pain shooting up through her arm and into her brain. He hissed, "I know all about your alien inhabitant, sweetie. _Arcee_? Is that her name? She's a nice addition to the family. Such a gracious guardian to ole' Jacky, isn't she? Better than I could ever be."

"Is this what this is all about?" June snarled. "You think that we replaced you with Arcee?"

"That's a part of it," Howard answered. "That, and the fact that my work has paid off," a massive smile alit his face, and he leaned closer. "I've been working for the past few years, babe. Using the information I acquired from Jack to develop a new kind of weapon."

June struggled against his grip, but it did not slacken. He was beginning to squeeze, twist her wrist. The limbs were beginning to ache and if he kept it up he would shatter the bone.

She whimpered, hating how weak she sounded. What had she done to deserve this? She'd stayed out of his life and he had stayed out of hers – heck, she'd even tried her best to leave the war to the aliens.

But he was back, for some reason. And it _hurt_.

"Listen, Howard," she said slowly. "I'm not going to apologize. You _know _the reason why I left you. You know what you did wrong – you _should _know, by now."

He twisted savagely and she felt the tendons in her wrist stretch taut. The pain was excruciating. She lashed out with a kick to his knee and he groaned, giving her the opportunity to wrench out of his embrace and stumbled over towards the couch.

"I'm not going to fight you,_ sweetheart_," he said, limping, shaking out his leg and moaning. "I came here to _play._ This game of mine, this glorious game….it will go my way. I just need another _intimate _pawn…"

June reached for the phone, but he was faster.

The slap stung. She heard the noise, and the impact came last. The phone flew from her fingers, skidding across the wood, and she spun, landing on the couch, mouth open in shock.

Howard flopped down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. There was a ringing in June's ears and she tried to shut it out, but failed.

She was going to bruise, badly. She felt a tear slide down her cheek and she steeled herself, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of watching her break.

"Just like old times, isn't it?" he squeezed her shoulder, and, to June's disgust, leaned over and pressed his lips against her cheek. "Too bad Jack isn't here," he was reaching up under his coat, pulling out something that resembled a pistol. But it was the color of steel – shiny, silver – and Howard aimed the muzzle towards the ceiling. He said, "But don't worry. I'll have this family back together in no time. Maybe even add a few more members–"

"No. Never."

A roll of the eyes. Howard twirled the gun in his fingers, tapping it lightly against June's head. "No, not that way. Never that way. Jack was the only one I needed, babe," a devilish smile spread across his face. "The only one _I _wanted. _You_ were just the carrier."

June made a sound in the back of her throat.

"Oh, come now. Do I look like the sort of man who would _love _a woman? I just needed you for a _while_," Howard scooted closer, running long, slender fingers through June's raven hair. "My original plan was to dump you and run off with Jack as soon as he was born but…I needed an alibi. And plus, you were just so much…._fun_ to play with."

Now she was crying. Warm tears streaked down her face, her expression solemn, but her heart full of absolute despondency.

Which was soon replaced with burning hot rage, and _guilt_. She was mad at herself for being so stupid, so, so in _love _that she would fall for such a ruse. And she was mad at Howard for pulling the tricks, pulling the strings the way he did…

She made a motion to shove him away from her, but with an almost supernatural force he _slammed_ her back into the cushioned seat with his opposite arm, the muzzle of the gun passing in front of her face as he did so.

"Here's the thing," Howard said, wiggling the weapon. "Despite being a…what do you call it My 'baby-maker,' you're still of value to me. My real target is Jack. Once I get to him, I get to the rest of the Autobots," he grasped a handful of June's hair twisting her neck sharply. She gasped, and then snarled.

June felt the muzzle of the gun press against the back of her neck, digging into the soft flesh.

"I need you for this game, sweetheart," June heard a click as he thumb secured itself over the trigger.

"Are you going to kill me?" She whispered.

Oh, God, she hoped so. Right now, in the center of all her agony, she didn't think that she would be able to live anymore.

"_No_," she felt Howard's lips brush against her ear. "I'm going to make you mine again."

She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the explosion. Waiting for her inevitable end, but instead of that, she felt something different. Something quick – a little prick – and the feeling of something foreign sliding up under her flesh.

She felt blood trickle down her back and she screamed, jumping, swatting at Howard. But he had already retreated to the end of the couch and was watching, legs crossed, eyebrows raised.

The thing…she could feel it, slithering, sliding. A little creature intelligent enough to dig deeper and deeper into her body, moving, navigating its way through tissue and muscle.

She clawed at her back, falling to the floor.

"Get it out," she snarled at Howard. But he just sat, watching, grinning.

"Get it out."

It was like surgery. She heard cutting, cutting, little crunching sounds as if it were eating.

Then, it hit its target.

She felt her back stiffen as the creature curled around her spine, a coldness spreading through her entire frame. She couldn't move – no couldn't feel – her arms or legs. The immobility was slowly creeping up her neck and June couldn't do anything but lay on the floor, limbs askew, eyes open.

"It might take a while," Howard said, moving from his position on the couch and kneeling in front of her. She opened her mouth to scream but it was as if someone had filled her throat with cotton. Nothing could come out. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw Howard reaching into her back pocket, fishing around, coming out with her cell phone. He said, "It still has to reach the brain. Once it does…you're all_ mine_."

He was flicking through her contacts, and then, finally pressing his finger against the pad.

"Just need to say a little hello to Jacky," he did a little dance, laughing as he did so. "Oh, my, oh, my. He will be so delighted to hear my voice…"

June couldn't do anything. She couldn't move. Could feel her consciousness flaking away piece by piece, fading…

She did the last human thing she presumed she would ever do.

She bowed her head and cried.

* * *

"Agent Fowler and his team should be raiding the M.E.C.H bases as we speak," Optimus said, arms crossed over his broad chest. Jack sat on the couch, watching as Miko flicked through the television, face twisted into a permanent expression of triumph.

"Those guys are toast," she said. "We'll have Penny back in no time," a laugh. "Yeah. I no time."

Ratchet gave Optimus a nod of understanding, turning back to his work. Bulkhead and Bumblebee had retreated to their quarters, and Arcee was the only one remotely awake – antsy, was more like it.

Looking past the whole Penny ordeal, Jack realized that the Decepticon's had yet to make a move. Ratchet was still scouting, scanning for energon but it had yet to make an appearance. It was a break everyone needed, but at the same time, everyone was eager to get into the action once again.

As Jack opened his mouth to speak, he felt something vibrate beneath him. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his cell phone.

Raf, who sat beside Jack, cocked an eyebrow, glancing at the caller ID. "Uh oh," he said, smiling cheekily. "What did you do, Jack?"

"Nothing," Jack answered, raising the phone to his ear. "At least, I don't think that I did…"

There was a click.

"Hey, mom," Jack said, leaning back.

Silence.

"Mom…"

_"Jacky boy?"_

Jack's breath caught in his throat and he whimpered.

He knew that voice.

"Dad…"

"_It's meeee!"_ the voice cried shrilly. _"It's so good to hear your voice again, son. Say, how's Arcee?"_

"What…How did…what…"

_"Don't answer that,"_ he replied. _"I'm not stupid, Jack. I know the secret. And you know what? Kudos to you for finding a girl. It's not what she is that bothers me, though, it's what she stands for. Your world belongs to me, Jack. Didn't you know that?"_

Jack opened his mouth, but no sound came out. All eyes were on him. Optimus was staring, Miko and Raf and Arcee and Ratchet all had their gaze trained on him. The silo had become eerily silent, and Jack gulped.

_"Your mother learned that the hard way. I have her, Jack. I have her back. And you have to trust that I won't be cruel to her. Same goes for your friend Penny Reed," _There was a sigh.

Jack stood. "Let my mother and Penny go, you…you monster! You demon!"

_"My dearest Jackson Darby. As your father, I feel obliged to inform you that the world is full of demons. Massive, towering beasts made of metal. But that won't tear you apart, son. Your undoing will be fear and loathing." _

Jack stood, lips trembling, tears beginning to form. But he held the phone, because there was no point in letting go.

His father spoke once more.

_"So watch out, boy, because the monsters and I are coming to get you."_

Then he was gone.


	8. Scintilla

Penny heard the screams and the shouts and the gunfire and knew exactly what it meant.

Kudos to her master for being away so long. Nothing could ever come to harm him, Penny assumed. It was in her nature to protect the man that had given her a new, burden free life. She couldn't remember the time before she'd joined her master, before she'd pledged herself to him.

Now…there was only him.

Penny sat in his office, feet propped up on the desk. It was the only place she was really allowed to go, now that Silas had finally taken somewhat of a command during her masters absence. He'd locked all the doors and had his men monitoring her, staring at her, spying on her when she did this and that.

And now, as Penny craned her neck to look at the door and heard a tremendous rumble, she knew that their time was up.

They were humans, Penny assumed. The aliens made too much noise. And plus, they didn't attack human bases at random. The government was finally in on the secret and had come to clear them out?

And Penny was stuck in the middle of it.

She fumbled through the desk drawers and pulled out a launcher. It was light in her hands and she ran her fingers over the smooth metal, standing and creeping towards the door. The gunfire was more audible now, and she could hear it peppering the walls.

She turned the knob.

The hallway was chaos. Green clad men rushed left and right, weapons dangling from their holsters. Red lights blared overhead.

Just one look told her that they were outnumbered. She scanned the mass of soldiers and did not see Silas – he'd probably already ditched, the coward.

Instinct told her to run but her basic commanding, the little knob attached to her spine, sent a jolt through her body that immediately snapped her back into reality. Her master! Right, she had to protect his base, his work, his legacy. She was better than these snot-nosed humans. She was a step on the evolutionary scale, a new test, a new…a new being.

Penny gripped her launcher and spilled out into the hallway, shoving past M.E.C.H soldiers and heading towards the hangar.

She smelled smoke. Heard screams. But what she didn't expect was the wall in front of her blowing apart.

Bricks smashed against brick and a plume of dust rushed into the hallway. The concussive force of the blast knocked Penny, as well as several soldiers trailing behind her, back several feet. Penny rolled, absorbing the impact and keeping firm grip on her launched.

Gunfire. Electricity crackled around her as the M.E.C.H soldiers fired back. Penny herself was flailing backwards, her leg gushing blood, shooting and shooting and shooting…

Bellows of pain and terror. Three of the soldiers in front of her fell back, the mindeaters scrambling to get a handhold on their skin. Through the dust Penny could make out writhing human figures, faces and limbs contorted with agony as she creatures slithered up under their skin, fighting to take control.

The rest of the opposition was stunned. Several of them uttered cursed and gripped their twisting comrades and dove back through the hole in the wall. Penny caught a glimpse of the last soldier retreating, grappling with two of his own soldiers as they blinked white, milky eyes and grinned, trying to grasp a hand around his throat.

Penny winced and checked her leg. The bullet had grazed her, but the pain was excruciating. She needed her master. Her master would know what to do…

"Get out of here, kid!" Someone shouted. It was one of Silas's cronies, waving his way through the dust, gun in hand. "Run! _Run!_"

Penny took one look at him, glanced at the hole in the wall, and then dove through it, out into the night.

She ran.

* * *

"My men have already cleared out the base," Fowler's words were clipped and precise, filtering through the monitor and around the silo. Jack barely heard him. He had his phone in his hand and was running his fingers over its surface.

He and Arcee had made a beeline home as soon as his father had hung up. They'd found the kitchen area smashed, as well as the living room. Jack's father had even gone as far as to steal some things, things that were unimportant but at the same time, their absence still able to get under Jack's skin.

He'd done it just to show that he was in control, that he _owned_ Jack and his mother. That he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted.

"Did you find Howard Darby?" Optimus asked.

"Negative. No Silas, either, though we _did_ manage to arrest a multitude of M.E.C.H associates," Fowler paused, and then said softly, "We've pieced most of it together, Prime."

"And what have you found?"

Fowler sighed, and Jack heard the rustling of papers. "Upon entering the base, several of my soldiers were neutralized with these…these _things_. We have those infected contained. They mess with your mind, apparently," Fowler's tone was disgusted. "Make you follow someone you shouldn't."

Bumblebee chirped loudly, and Arcee nodded in approval.

"Like a sort of mind control?" She translated.

All eyes turned to Ratchet as he scoffed, crossing his arms. "Mind control? _Absurd._ It took our race hundreds of years to master that sort of offensive capability. Even then, it was still unpredictable, unreliable. How could humans devise such a similar device in such a short amount of time?"

"This is _M.E.C.H_ we're talking about, Ratchet," Bulkhead answered gruffly. "I'm surprised they hadn't come up with it sooner," he turned back to the monitor. "Will you be able to fix it, Fowler?"

"You'd better hope so. Because if my sources prove correct, we have more than just my men to cure. Some of them correctly identified Penny Reed to be one of the people infected."

Miko, who had been curled up in the couch corner, perked up immediately.

"Jack," Optimus swiveled his head to glance at the teenager. "Could your mother have been…?"

"Probably," he murmured. "If not definitely."

An eerie silence hung over the room.

Miko spoke up. "I'm going after Penny."

Ratchet snorted. "Not so fast. I advise that we wait until we get a fix on their coordinates…" He trailed off, typing away at the monitor. "We don't even know where they are…"

"Latch onto the nearest signal," Fowler said, and Ratchet peered upward, raising his eyebrows. "They send out a pretty powerful blast."

"And you would know how…?"

"I already told you. Three of my boys were infected with these…mind things. We've been experimenting," Fowler huffed. "Now we just have to figure out how to get them off…"

"Leave that to Ratchet, Agent Fowler," Optimus rumbled, glancing down at the medic. Ratchet's shoulder slouched and he rubbed his eyes. "And let us handle this mission. Jack's mother is our responsibility, and from this moment on, so is Penny Reed. We will find and recover them both."

"Good. And make it fast on the research, Ratchet," Fowler said. "We've already recovered some of the pellets from the base but these scientists aren't as…um…experienced in this particular field as you are. I'll send you a visual representation of what you're working with, if you'd like."

"I would like that," Ratchet said.

Through the monitor, Jack could almost see Fowler's smile.

"I thought that you would."

* * *

Howard Darby did not plan on returning to base.

Soundwave, who had been flying thousands of feet above, had intercepted a message from Silas, and Howard had been bummed to find out that said base was being overrun by the opposing government. Silas was alright – not that Howard cared – and making his way to a _different_ base.

Howard was doing the same. He'd hijacked June's car, flinging her into the back seat, watching through the mirror as she thrashed around, moaning like some ghostly menace as the creature shot its thin tendrils through her body. Her black hair framed her face and, as Howard pulled the vehicle to a stop in an open field several miles from his old home, her now milky white, eyes stared back at him. No irises. No more of that chocolate brown that he used to know and love.

Just…a blank white stare.

It was better like that, now. She was on voice command. He had the remote in his coat pocket, just in case.

"Get out of the car," he instructed, and she obeyed. Clumsy limbs grappled with the handle and she spilled out onto the dirt, limbs trying to work together, coordinate as she pushed herself up off the ground.

Her head lolled to the side and her emotionless eyes stared at Howard. He beamed.

"Isn't this just…_magical_!" He gestured to the moon, the stars up above. He looped an around June's shoulder and buried his face in her hair, smelling her scent.

She glanced up at him, white eyes holding nothing but emptiness.

_Such the romantic…_

"Any who, we'll have our time together soon," Howard said happily. "I have _so_ many more people to dispose of!"

He spun, and then glanced up at the dark sky. He resisted the urge to sing, to jump up and down like a giddy child. He had never been so _happy._ So full of vigor. He'd accomplished almost everything he'd ever wanted.

As if on cue, a shape streaked across the moon and Soundwave was there, dropping out of the sky like an avenging bird of prey. He landed on his feet, knees bent to absorb the impact. Then, he tilted his head down and an image flickered across his visor.

It was a green grid. Something was pinging in the center, a location, it looked like….

"The old warehouse?" He said. "That's where you want to go?"

It was just a suggestion, he knew. Soundwave had no control over where the group went.

The mech turned towards the woods and pointed one long, spiderlike finger.

A shape was hobbling out of the bushes, out of the thorns. She stumbled into the clearing, and in the moonlight Howard could make out her white eyes, her ripped sundress. Blood dripped down her left leg and she was limping, barely able to hold on.

"Penny?" Howard said, and then again. "Penny? Penny, sweetheart, is that you?"

The girl collapsed in a heap at Howard's feet. The grass around her was tinged with crimson and she looked up, tilting her grimy head to the side, lips slightly parted as she whispered, "I'm sorry I'm late…"

"Oh, no, no, you're _right _on time. You see, we're about to have a _party_," he kneeled down and helped her to her feet, letting her lean against Soundwave's leg for support. "We just have to find the guest of honor. Will you help me do that, Penny?"

She nodded.

"_Good girl_," Howard patted her cheek and she shivered like a dog, leaning into his embrace. He whispered, "I want you to be my distraction. Hack into your parasite and send out a signal as strong as possible. Can you do that?"

She nodded again.

"Such a resilient, _obedient_ little dog," Howard smiled. "You'll be rewarded, sweetheart. I _promise_."

Penny giggled, and then sauntered over to the center of the clearing and sat down in the grass.

She did not move.

Howard turned to June, saw her standing there, silent, head still tilted to the side. He walked over and kissed her forehead. "Can you believe it? Soon, Jacky boy will be a part of this _glorious _family," he gestured to Penny, who had begun to pick at some grass, and Soundwave, who stood, an icy whiteness having flooded his visor. "And you and I will be together_…forever_, and _ever_. You won't _ever_ be able to get rid of me," his fingers dug into her arms, but she did not whimper. Howard leaned over and whispered something into her ear.

She said, her voice monotone, emotionless, "Yes, dear. We'll always be together."

The words meant nothing.

But still, they were music to Howard Darby's ears.


	9. Gioco

"I've found them."

Jack glanced down at Raf as he peered over the railing. Ratchet's word were slow, as if even her were surprised. Optimus stood behind him, arms crossed over his chest, occasionally glancing at the groundbridge. Even he looked anxious, antsy, as if he wanted to get this mission over with.

Jack couldn't blame him.

Arcee had her hands on her hips, her gaze directed towards the ground. She looked ashamed, as if she couldn't believe any of this was happening – well, none of them could, but still. Arcee's guilt had been in reserve all along and now…

Now she was letting it show.

"There are two locations?" Optimus peered over Ratchet's shoulder.

"One of them must be Penny!" Miko spoke up, leaping off the couch and darting over to grip the railing, peering up at Optimus. "She's the only other one!"

"Yes, yes," Ratchet waved a hand. "I suspect, Jack, that your father will want to keep your mother as close to him as possible. Penny is just a decoy, a distraction."

Jack rubbed his eyes in irritation.

Ratchet glanced at Prime. "What are your suggestions?"

"Arcee and I will head to the warehouse. Bumblebee and Bulkhead will go recover Penny."

Bulkhead and Bumblebee shared nervous glanced before nodding. Arcee just crossed her arms and blinked.

Miko's voice suddenly cut through the silence, high and shrill. "You forgot about Jack and I!"

Ratchet raised an eyebrow.

"Miko's actually right," Jack explained. "Penny knows Miko, and vice versa. I know my mom. I mean, I'm not saying that this is likely, but _we _have a better chance of success if we can talk them out of this. You know, calm them down."

He stopped at that. He didn't want to add the fact that he wanted to see his father, wanted to take him down himself. He wasn't big on ego, like Miko, but sometimes…he had to take matters into his own hands.

"Optimus…" Ratchet said softly.

"Jack and Miko do have a valid point," Optimus rumbled. "And from what we've uncovered, the only others under Mr. Darby's command are Penny, Jack's mother, and possibly a few other humans."

"This will be easy," Bulkhead chuckled, and Bumblebee chirped a response.

"Miko will accompany Bulkhead. Jack, you will come with Arcee and I," he paused, and then said, "But if things start to get out of hand…"

"You're out," Arcee finished.

"The same goes for you, Miko."

Both teenagers nodded as Ratchet said, "Rafael is to stay with me and run the groundbridge. I still have to figure out a remedy for this…whatever _it_ is."

Optimus nodded and turned towards the bridge, stepping forward. Jack and Miko were already running down the stairs, feet tapping lightly against the floor as they came to stand beside their selected guardians.

Miko rubbed her hands together. "Alright, Penny. Miko's coming to rescue you."

* * *

Howard allowed Soundwave to crush the lock to the warehouse between his fingers and open the door. June trailed behind, her foot slightly dragging behind her.

He could see that, inside that vast, knowledgeable brain of hers, something was trying to fight back against the parasites. But the longer they stayed latched on the more her strength dwindled.

She would turn into Penny, soon. Unable to be saved. The longer she stayed under his command the deeper the parasites dug, the harder the tendrils around her brain pulled and pulled and pulled, until there was nothing left but an empty, zombie – like shell.

And that wasn't the best part, though. She had already told him that she was his. He wanted to listen to it over and over, record it so that he would never, ever forget the moment.

"Not as good as our old home," he shoved away cobwebs and grimaced. "But it will be better once Jacky boy joins our family," He turned to Soundwave. "Go take a fly. Circle overhead. If you spot anyone coming near the warehouse, slaughter them."

Soundwave nodded and then transformed, thrusters kicking in as he blew away.

"Sit," he told June, and she did. Walked out towards an old, dirt covered couch and sat. The sudden added pressure caused a plume of dust to blow up from between the cushions. Howard smiled and commented. "Good dog."

Howard pulled out his tablet, the remote used to control the parasites. The screen was flickering and he pressed his thumb against an icon, pulling up Penny's location.

Good. She wasn't dead.

Yet.

Now that Jack was in the picture – or, would _soon _be in the picture – Penny was expendable. If she died, she died. Nothing Howard could do about that.

They would be a family again, he told himself. Soundwave would be a worthy substitute for that blue Autobot, Arcee. And Howard would be able to control _all_ of them like he tried to control Jack almost six years ago.

It was a heartwarming thought, better than a good love story. He chuckled to himself, his back to June as he flicked away at the tablet. Only three infected were displayed, scrolling across the screen.

June gave a small whimper.

Howard turned to her. "Still fighting it?" He called. "Still trying to resist? You're stronger than the last time I saw you."

He watched as her lips twisted into a nasty expression of contempt. Howard faltered. She shouldn't have been able to do that, shouldn't have been able to look at him that way.

With cold, calculated steps Howard walked over to her, kneeling in front of her hunched form. He stared up at her, dark eyes devoid of anything but lunacy.

He pulled the launcher out from under his pocket.

June's hands were trembling and the snarl was still plastered on her face. Her own eyes were narrowed, black hair clinging to her face.

"Do you want me to use this again?" Howard waved the launcher in front of her face. "Or are you going to cooperate? See, I haven't tested the effect of_ two_ mindeaters. But I want to, _so, so_ badly," he smirked. "But believe it or not, I actually _care _whether or not you live or die. Not many have that effect on me, sweetheart. Maybe it's because your my prize, my possession. You're part of my human chess set and I _need_ you to complete my plans."

He let the launcher dangle from his fingers. Her expression had not changed.

"Be glad that you're not Penny."

He barely had time to react. She lashed out.

Slapped him across the face.

It stung, but not as much as his rage. He snarled and she gave a long, drawn out scream that was abruptly cut off when Howard bashed the muzzle of the launcher against her shoulder. He heard the crack of bone and watched as she tried to stifle her tears, tried to regain her unflappable composure.

He gripped her hair and flung her onto the concrete. Hooked his foot into her ribs, once, twice, three times until she was curled up in a ball, crying.

The sight of her moaning on the ground, trying not to scream in pain turned him on, when it really, really shouldn't have.

Howard knelt down and shoved a lock of hair away from her neck, pressing the launcher against her flesh. He pulled the trigger and heard the unmistakable sound of a second mindeater creeping up under her flesh.

She went rigid. Her limbs stiffened and her neck turned, slowly.

June stared up at him with dead, emotionless eyes and smiled.

"That's better," he said, and fell to his knees. He reached up under his coat, sheathing the launcher before pulling out a knife. He grasped June's hand and pressed the hilt of the knife against her palm, saying, "Jacky boy should be here any minute…"

She tilted her head to the side.

"I want you to bring him to me. Stab him, if you have too. Don't kill him, but get him wounded enough that I can…" he patted his side, where he launcher was located. "We'll be a family again soon. I promise."

June staggered to her feet, limping. She gave a pained gasp but the mindeaters urged her forward, and she spat out a glob of blood before stumbling out the door.

Howard whipped out his tablet and sat down on the couch, propping his legs up and humming a tune.

This was truly the greatest game he could play.


	10. La Battaglia

**This story is coming to a close...just a few more chapters left. Thanks all of you who reviewed!**

**I don't own Transformers: Prime. Though Penny Reed and Howard Darby (unfortunately) do belong to me. If you want you use any of them, just drop me a line, first.**

* * *

As soon as Jack, Arcee and Optimus exited the groundbridge, they were hit sprinkles of water.

Jack glanced up. Great. It was raining, the dark clouds having blotted out the sun. The sound of thunder seemed to roll through the forest and behind Jack, Arcee groaned.

"Great," She mumbled. "Just what we need."

They had appeared at the top of a hill, overlooking the warehouse. It was a vast complex, yet vacant at the same time. A single lamp flickered over the entrance and for a moment Jack really, really hoped that his father would just come out and surrender on the spot. It would make this so much easier.

Just the thought of his dad caused him to nauseate. There was nothing left to him. A small part of Jack was still hoping, though, that he had just a tad bit of humanity left in him…

But still, like his mother had said, it would be difficult to forgive him.

"How are we playing this?" He asked Optimus.

"We'll just knock on the front door," he answered, lips pulling into a thin line. "He has nowhere to run. He's trapped."

Jack knew that his father was clever, but not _Optimus_ clever. He just hoped that he had the sense not to pull anything crazy.

"Come on," Arcee made her way down the hill, pedes digging into the dirt as she leaned back, then leaped onto the concrete. Optimus and Jack followed, tiptoeing slowly.

The rain had grown heavier, lightning flashing overhead. The light blinked rapidly, illuminating the closed steel door.

"Jack, get behind me," Optimus instructed.

Jack obliged.

Arcee readied her weapons.

Optimus hadn't taken a single step when a jagged bolt of white light streaked overhead. Through the boom of thunder Jack heard the unmistakable shifting of joints, the creak of metal. He glanced up at saw the Cybertronian and had a fraction of a second to dive to the side, the impact of pedes against concrete jarring his entire frame.

The Decepticon had landed in the exact spot Jack had been standing moments earlier. Fast as lightning it flung out both arms and knocked Arcee and Prime away. Optimus stumbled and slammed into the warehouse wall, causing it to crack and cave partly inward like a fallen pie crust. Arcee bounced and landed hard on the grass.

A flash of lightning and the Decepticon's visor was alit. Jack knew his name just from getting a glimpse at his face and knew, with no doubt, that this was someone to run away from.

Soundwave stepped forward, forcing Jack backward, skinning his palms against the concrete as he struggled to get away. Through the heavy fall of rain he saw a red and blue shape barrel into Soundwave and send them both crashing to the ground.

_"Jack! Run!"_

Water dripping down his face, Jack got to his feet and backed away. Soundwave's fist were clenched. He had something in his hand.

"Prime! _His hand_!" It was Arcee struggling to her feet. "_His hand!"_

Optimus sent Soundwave stumbled back with a strong kick to his chest. The Decepticon righted himself and then, with a mighty fling of a joint, chucked a dozen small, barely seeable objects at Optimus.

Prime raised his hand to block the attack.

"_Don't let them_–"

They stuck to his arms, his chest and his shoulder. Little spherical objects that Jack knew all too well. Optimus gave a horrendous wail and clawed at the creatures as they began to crawl like angry cockroaches, diving up under his armor and screwing themselves in place.

He fell to the ground, twitching.

His optics were no longer that dazzling blue but instead an awful milky white.

"Jack! Go get you mother!" Arcee parried a blow from Soundwave as she tried to reach Optimus. His fingers clutched at the concrete as he tried to crawl. "Run!" Arcee shouted for good measure. "_Run!"_

Jack ran.

* * *

As soon as Miko stepped out of the bridge her boots sunk into a massive puddle of mud.

Her hair was instantly wet. She groaned and shivered, hearing Bulkhead and Bumblebee appear beside her. The swirling green vortex behind them flickered out of existence, leaving the three of them alone in the forest, doused in water.

Instantly Miko began calling, "Penny! _Penny!"_

"She's not a dog, Miko," Bulkhead commented dryly. "And she's certainly not willing, at this point."

"Can you sense her?"

"A bit. This way," he pointed to a small trail that led deeper into the woods. Bumblebee took the lead, Miko in the middle, arms crossed over her chest. She twisted her pink streaked pigtails, wringing them out and letting the water mix in with the dirt. The trees provided adequate cover, but not from the cold.

"Getting sick is worth it," She mumbled. "For Penny. Yeah, for Penny."

Miko couldn't imagine a life without her friend. She'd always wished that Penny knew the secret, the reason she disappeared for long hours after school. It would make everything so much simpler. No need to lie, no need to hide.

But she knew better. And plus, Penny wasn't for the supernatural.

She wondered if, when the mind-control was released, Penny would remember anything. For her sake, Miko hoped not. Penny didn't need to recall anything she had been through.

"We're almost there," Bulkhead said, and increased his pace. Bee did the same and Miko followed. "Now listen, Miko, when we find her…"

"I know, I know. Approach with caution. I just need to talk her out of it, Bulk," Miko brushed a strand of dark hair out of her eyes. "She'll listen to me. She knows me. She…"

"That's not always the case."

Miko sighed and hung her head. Bumblebee turned his head and gave off a soft series of beeps, and Miko didn't need Raf to understand that he was trying to somehow console her.

"Penny is strong. She can fight it," Miko raised her head and held it high, sauntering forwards. She looked past Bumblebee and saw that the tunnel opened up into a clearing, the lightning that flashed overhead illuminating a hunched figure sitting in the grass.

Bumblebee stopped. He turned to Bulkhead and gave a low whistle.

"Is it her?"

A nod.

"Scrap," Bulkhead shook his head. "Is she…"

Miko was already diving under Bumblebee's legs, darting out into the clearing. It was Penny. The girl was on her knees, her grimy, ripped sundress hanging off her in tatters. As Miko approached she slowed to a halt, shoes sinking into the mud as she tried to find a handhold.

"Penny?" She asked quizzically. Her friend, when she looked up, her eyes had glazed over into the most awful of white. Black hair framed her face and she smiled.

"Miko?"

"Yeah," Miko replied, urging herself forward. "It's me. Your friend," she heard Bulkhead and Bumblebee slide up beside her. "We're going to take you home."

"I don't want to go home."

"You have to, Penny. You have your parents and your siblings to get back to. And all your friend at school," Miko thought for a moment. "And Jack! You still like him, don't you?"

Penny's head tilted to the side with maddening slowness. She shook her head, saying, "I already have a family. Master and his dark haired wife, and Soundwave. We're all a family now, Miko."

Miko felt water drip down her cheeks and knew that it wasn't rain.

"And maybe, if you're a good girl, master will let you join our family. We can be sisters, Miko!" Penny reached up under her coat and pulled out something, something silver and long and she aimed it right at Miko.

It was a gun. Or, at least it looked like a gun.

Bulkhead and Bumblebee reacted, weapons ready, aiming them at Penny.

"Nah, ah, ah," Penny waggled a finger. "If you move I pull the trigger."

Miko forgot how to breathe for a moment. Bulkhead and Bumblebee sheathed their weapons, standing rigid.

"Good."

"Penny…"

"I'm sorry," Penny's voice didn't hold an ounce of remorse. "This is for the best. When you're like me, you won't have to worry about anything anymore. No sickness. No homework. No more bullies. No more of that."

"I don't want to be like you," Miko furiously wiped away her tears and shot a glance at Bumblebee and Bulkhead. She stepped forward, and Penny's thumb secured itself over the trigger. "Penny, put it down. Please. If you're my friend, you'll put the gun down."

"Friend? We're going to be sisters, Miko. Forever and ever."

There was a flash.

Lightning. Close. So close. It struck the ground several hundred meters away and knocked Miko and Bulkhead and Bumblebee of their feet. Penny fell forward, the gun flying from her hand and sinking into the mud.

Bright spots danced across Miko's vision. In the distance she heard a scream.

Her eyes opened and she saw Penny stumbling drunkenly towards the gun. Bulkhead wasn't moving. Bumblebee was struggling to get up but kept falling down because of all the wet dirt.

"Penny…"

She met Miko's own dark eyes with cold, dead, _emotionless_ orbs.

"Penny…I'm so, _so_ sorry. But I'm going to have to take you out."

Miko stood up and lunged.


	11. La Scomparsa

Jack slipped in a puddle of mud and nearly went sprawling out on his stomach. The rain had increased to huge, pounding drops that turned the grass around him into muddy goo. Jagged bolts of lightning flashed overhead, and in the background Jack could hear the steady sound of metal against metal and, occasionally, Arcee's hearty shouts and Optimus' frazzled cries.

He was stumbling over his own two feet, hands reaching out blindly, trying to find a handhold. The dim light and the water smashing against his skin was disorienting, causing him to cry out in anger when his feet wouldn't land where he wanted them or rain washed into his eyes.

"Mom?" He choked out, rounding the corner of the warehouse. The lights were better here, the lamps hanging overhead casting an orange glow on the side door and the area around it.

Jack felt a chill, and it wasn't just from the rain. Despite the metal clanging in the background, everything seemed eerily still.

And then, impact.

Jack's head bashed painfully against the ground and he saw stars, as well as the silhouette of a human outlined by the light. She held something in her hand. Something glinting and for a moment Jack really, really hoped that it wasn't…

"Mom?"

His mother didn't seem to recognize him. Jack watched in horror as she reveled at the weapon in her hand, as if seeing it for the first time. She pointed the sharp blade towards Jack and grinned.

"No, no, no," He replied in turn. "I'm not fighting my mother. I will not fight my–"

He barely had time to throw himself to the side as she lunged, the knife sweeping towards his face. Jack landed hard and rolled, tiny rocks biting into his knees and ankles and elbows. Out of instinct, he lashed out with a kick to her stomach.

She whimpered.

"Sorry!" He cried, struggling to his feet. "I'm sorry. Snap out of it, Mom! Look at me_. Look at me!"_

"He said that I had to bring you back," She glanced up at the sky, milky white eyes indifferent to the rain. Her hair clung to her face in tendrils and from this angle Jack could see her tired eyes, see the bruises forming against her skin. They hadn't been inflicted by him. Jack knew all too well who had.

A growl rumbled through his throat and his eyes narrowed towards the door. His mother followed his gaze and stepped in front of it defensively.

"You're here to hurt him," Her lips twisted into a savage snarl. "Why are you trying to hurt him? He only wants us to be a family again," Her voice dropped to a soft coo. "C'mon, sweetheart. Don't you want to be a family?"

Jack shook his head. "No. Not like this," he stepped forward. "Mom, please, let me through."

"You will _listen _to me!"

The knife flashed. She was fast, faster than he had expected. But she faltered halfway and a part of Jack knew that she was still fighting, still trying to regain control.

Jack shoved her away, the knife passing inches from his nose. Crying out, he made a mad dash towards the door.

Hands gripped his shoulder and, his mind in a frenzy of debate whether or not to do it, he spun and smashed his fist against the side of his mother's head.

The knife almost slipped from her grip but she maintained her composure and growled like an animal.

"Did you just hit your mother?"

Jack's mouth opened and closed, because really, there was no way to respond to that.

"Let me go see dad."

"He told me that you would try and stop him," She waved the knife for emphasis. "I have to make sure that you can't."

"You won't hurt me."

"I _have_ to," Her shoulder slouched. She looked awful, white eyes staring pleadingly into Jack's own, water dripping from her skin and clothes and hair and the edge of the curved knife. She stepped forward, stumbling a little, disoriented. Jack stood his ground and watched, about to make a beeline for the door.

He barely got there.

She tackled him once more and pinned him to the ground. Jack gripped her wrist and twisted, but she held onto the knife. Her grip was firm. Fingers closed around Jack's throat and began to squeeze, the knife hovering inches over his eye.

"I can't kill you," She hissed. "But my orders were to break you. How about an eye, son? An eye for an eye," A chuckled. "You only need _one_…"

The tip of the knife touched his eyelid.

Jack screamed.

His sudden outburst caused his mother to flinch, the knife stopping before it could dig past the thin layer of skin. She shuddered, and then blinked rapidly.

Her eyes. Jack could see hints of brown peeking through the blank whiteness.

He tried to scramble away but she held him in a death grip. Jack's fingers fumbled with his mother's, trying to dislodge the appendages from around his neck.

"Mom…"

_"Jack?"_

She blinked again. Stared down at him in recognition.

The knife had yet to clatter from her hands; the whiteness was coming back, washing over her brilliant brown orbs.

"Fight it, Mom! Don't let it get to you!_ Please_!"

His mother looked torn between following orders or buckling under the pressure of not stabbing her son and overtaking the force that controlled her. Jack watched in horror as she bit her lip and raised the knife above her head.

Her eyes were closed. She didn't want to look.

"Don't do it…" Jack pleaded. "Please don't…"

She brought the knife down.

Jack flinched, expecting the contact, expecting the cold tip to slide in and carve out one of his most valuable assets. But he didn't feel the pain, didn't feel the sudden cold contact.

Instead he got to watch as his mother drove the knife into her very own gut.

* * *

Penny bashed her fist against Miko's head.

Bumblebee warbled something incomprehensible. He was shaking Bulkhead, trying to get him up off the ground and looking back and forth between the task at hand, at Miko, who had Penny in a headlock and was trying to force her away from the launcher.

A boom. More lightning.

"It's the machine inside you," Miko ground out, fingers digging into Penny's hair. "I think…I think it's somehow attracting…"

A tree behind Bumblebee exploded in a shower of white hot sparks and the noise, the awful noise, was like a million guns all firing at the same time. Penny and Miko were both blown back from the concussive force and Miko felt something crack in her leg, a bone, maybe, as she landed in the muddy dirt.

She screamed.

Penny didn't let up. She was on Miko in a second, hooking a fist into the other girls nose. The contact was unexpected and Miko whimpered, and then kicked Penny away.

"Bulkhead! Bumblebee!"

Bulkhead still wasn't moving.

Bumblebee was pulling him away, and then scrambling towards the two girls. The hair on the back of Miko's neck stood on end and she barely had enough time to scream, "Bee! Wat–"

An explosion. Hot, wet dirt erupted towards the dark sky and Bumblebee was blasted back, landing on his side and skidding into the forest. The noise was so loud that for several seconds, everything around Miko was a dull buzz.

"Crap!"

Penny took the opportunity to slam her knee into her ribs and then punch her in the face.

Miko was usually a passive girl. She had never imagined that she would be battling her best friend in the middle of a lightning storm. This was what _Cybertronians_ did. Not humans.

"_Penny_," Miko tried to stem the flow of blood as it dripped from her nose and lips. "Stop…"

"I will never, ever stop."

"You have to!"

Penny stalked forward on trembling legs, her sundress muddy and hanging from her shoulders. One eyes was already swelling shut and in the pouring rain she looked like some sort of avenging demon, walking, talking, coming to drag Miko down with her.

"I don't want to hurt you, Penny."

"Hurt me?" Penny barked a laugh. Then, she giggled as if the notion of pain amused her somehow. "Master said that nobody will ever be able to hurt me ever again. All the bullies, all the abuse, it all ends…you should crave the luxury of ignorance, Miko. The less you know about yourself, the more content you can be."

She extended a hand.

"I care about you, Miko. You're like a sister – no, you _are_ my sister. Sisters should be together…right?"

Mud clinging to her hair and face, Miko stifled a sudden sob and shook her head. "I can't," She heaved. "I can't."

Penny glanced at the launcher, and then faltered.

Miko threw herself upwards and the girls went tumbling back towards the edge of the clearing, snarling, throwing punches that made bruising connections.

Miko suddenly felt the hairs on the back of her stand. She made a final move, leaping like a gymnast and slamming both feet into Penny's chest, sending her stumbling backwards several yards. As soon as she landed she was off, racing in the other direction and screaming and crying because she knew what came next.

The blast of lightning threw her forward several feet and she landed face down in the mud, and then rolled, legs thrashing around as she kicked away.

Flames licked at the grass, but were doused by the rain. Penny's body was nowhere to be seen though there were chunks of something, something blackened, like a burnt steak, scattered in the mud. The largest piece was limbed and twitching madly.

It fell still.

Miko heard Bumblebee's haggard, approaching steps. She saw Bulkhead's optics flicker online. She saw little torn pieces of Penny's sundress fluttering around, burning away.

She bowed her head and wept.


	12. La Fine

**Last chapter! Thank's to all who stuck with me through this somewhat disturbing story. I really hope it lived up to your expectations. If you have any questions, just drop me a line. Anywho, enjoy!**

**I do not own Transformers: Prime.**

* * *

Blood splashed across Jack's shirt and he screamed.

The knife was buried all the way up to the hilt, pale, slender fingers gripping it firmly. His mother's face was a mask of agony, twisted into something unrecognizable. It seemed as if she were trying to push the knife in deeper into her body, all the way. Like she was trying to get something out of her…

"Mom!" Jack slid out of her grip and scrambled up. He didn't know what to do. His mind was in a frenzy as he watched the crimson liquid seep into the asphalt.

"Have to….get it…" His mother grunted. She twisted and the knife slid a few inches more into her flesh.

"Stop!" Jack lunged and fumbled with bloody, slippery fingers, prying her fingers away from the blade. She shoved him away at the last second, met his eyes.

She tried to stand up.

Fell back down on her knees, staring at the knife with her head tilted to the side. The milky whiteness of her eyes was retreating once more and Jack could see the humanity under there, see _his_ mother.

And if she died here it would be his fault.

Through the rain and the flashes of lightning Jack shouted, "Let it go, Mom! You can't get it out! Mom, please!"

Her fingers curled around the hilt of the knife and pulled.

It came out, and through the pounding water and the rolling thunder Jack was glad that he couldn't hear the noise. It clattered onto the ground and his mother doubled over, clutching her stomach. Her forehead touched the concrete and she groaned.

Jack rushed to her side. Touched her gently on the back, his tears beginning to fall. She was murmuring something that Jack could not hear and, as the bloody began to seep from between her fingers, he leaned closer.

"Mom? Mom, you're going to be alright," Jack's words were shaky and forced. "We'll get Ratchet and both get out of here…"

"Go."

"What?"

She waved a hand and tried to speak once more, but instead of words, out spewed blood. She tried to stifle it with a crimson covered hand and shuddered.

"Go to your father. He has to be…someone has to stop him," She met Jack's teary eyed and gaze and said, "Someone has to."

Jack glanced back towards the front of the warehouse. He could see Arcee perched atop the roof, firing blue tinged shots down at Soundwave. The dark mech was leaping, dodging, simply tilting his body to the side as he evaded Arcee's attack.

Off the side lay Optimus, twitching, groaning.

They wouldn't be able to help him now.

"I'll be alright," His mother gently touched Jack's face, smiling through bloody teeth. "Go. I trust you'll do what's right."

She inched her way over next to a battered dumpster, leaning against it and closing her eyes. She tilted her head back, her chest rising and falling.

Jack wanted to weep. To shut down and not do anything.

But he had to. His mother…

She was depending on him.

Wiping his eyes furiously, Jack pushed his way past the steel doors and into the dank warehouse. The lack of rain was convenient, his wet shoes squeaking against the floor as he pushed his way past boxes, into the center of the room. The sound of water beating against the side was deafening, and even more so was the screeches and explosions and gunshots as Arcee and Soundwave continued to fight.

He ran fingers through his dark, dripping hair and took a shaky breath.

"Dad…?"

His voice echoed off the walls and Jack grimaced.

There was a noise. Over to the side, shrouded by shadows.

_"Jackyyyy boyyyy…."_

It was the same voice he had heard on the phone, but free of any static. Lighter. Almost as if the voice were singing, letting the words roll across the room.

_"Come out and playyyyy…."_

Jack spun.

His head smashed against the ground once again. The kick had been hard, a direct blow to his chest by a heavy toed boot.

Jack cried out in pain, looked up, and found himself staring into the dark, mad eyes of his father.

It had been a while since Jack had seen him. Almost six years, to be exact. His features were still sinister, angular and a little bit harsh, as if he hadn't aged a day and Jack was certain that he had shrunk – maybe it was the fact that his shoulders had obtained a permanent hunch. His grin was still there, a permanent expression that Jack had grown up with, but this time it promised much more vile things that previously imagined.

All in all, he was_ terrifying_. He was terrified, and he had faced down Megatron, Airachnid, Silas…the list as endless.

Jack scooted back, the fear robbing him of words.

"What's the matter, Jacky? No pat on the back?" He looked genuinely disappointed, and shook his head sadly. Then, his grin returned, as usual. "You haven't seen your father in _years_!"

"For good reason," Jack said, as firmly as he could muster.

"_For good reason_," His father echoed. He'd twisted the words into an awful sneer. "Whatever. Your mommy was more than happy to see me. We talked, laughed – well, _I_ laughed – and in the end she joined me. Magnificent, isn't it? The effect I have on people," He giggled and the noise caused a part of Jack's soul to crumble. "Take someone out and the equation falls apart. Put someone in and you have yourself a solution."

Jack was struggling to his feet, ribs aching. He met his father dead in the eye and said, "You're sick. No wonder mom kicked you out."

"No, see,_ I_ was the one who kicked_ her_ out. She didn't approve of my science and you know what, Jacky boy? It was _her_ loss. Look what I have in my arsenal," He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out something metallic and thin. He touched a finger against its dark surface and it lit up, casting an eerie blue glow on his face. "A regular high school student who used to have a crush on you. Expendable. Your mother. Expendable to a certain degree. Soundwave. Expendable. And _soon_," He gave a low whistle. "_Optimus Prime_. That's not a prize to pass up. And you know how I got him?"

Jack shook his head slowly, wiping water from his eyes.

"_You_. You and your mother and Arcee and anyone else you're associated with, Jacky," He twirled the remote through his fingers and sang his next seven words. "_You set it allll up for me_. I take out a minor player and you absolutely_ freak_. You assume. And when you assumed, you want to investigate and things. Go. _Wrong_."

He gave a hearty laugh, his grin broadening. "And now, I'm at the top of the chain. The apex predator. The destroyer. And all it took was a single pull of the trigger."

He reached up under his coat and pulled out a metal, single barrel gun and aimed it at Jack.

"You're going to join the revolution, son. But, it's not like you'll _remember_…"

An explosion. The wall behind Jack's father – no, not his father. Not anymore. Howard Darby was his name for from this moment forward, he was nothing else to Jack – exploded inward.

Howard fell.

Jack was knocked to the side by the concussive force. A slender blue shape flew past and smashed into the metal support beams, twisting them, breaking them. Plaster rained down from the ceiling.

Lightning boomed overhead and a spray of mist hit Jack. He saw Howard struggling to his feet, launcher still in hand.

He fired a shot and Jack rolled to the side.

"Stupid, _stupid _Jacky. Don't you even know the rules of attacking?" Howard faltered, and then grinned. He giggled. It was revolting. "H-Hey! That rhymed," He laughed again and staggered on his own two feet. "I'm a poet and I don't even know it!"

For some reason, he found that funny. Jack didn't know why. He didn't even think that his previous words rhymed.

Howard barreled into Jack and they fell. Off to the side, Arcee was firing shots out the massive hole in the wall, back at Soundwave, who was casually walking forward, shifting a hip or tilting his body to the side, parrying each one.

Howard smashed his fist against Jack's head and Jack cried out, kneeing his attacker in the ribs. He heard bone crack.

It was satisfying.

Howard rolled of Jack and groaned, crawling to the side. Jack spotted a crowbar lying next to a stack of boxes and grabbed it, just as Arcee slammed both feet into Soundwave's chest. The larger mech stumbled but the blow didn't affect him, and he tossed Arcee to the side with a flick of the wrist.

Howard had his fingers around his remote just as Jack raised the crowbar. One leg shot out and caught Jack in the knee, sending him sprawling out onto his stomach. Snarling, Jack grabbed the crowbar and lunged.

He slammed it against his father's shoulder. He watched in horror as the bone popped out of place and his father, twisting his head to look, smiled.

"Again!"

Jack screamed and bashed the crowbar against his head and suddenly the side of Howard's face was covered in crimson.

Words slurred, Howard said, "Again!" He laughed through a mouthful of blood.

Jack dropped the crowbar.

"No."

Howard got to his feet, almost toppling back over. He held the remote in his hand and was trying to laugh. "This is so much fun! Father - son bonding time was always my favorite," He spat out a glob of blood. "But you were never on my level, Jacky. You had so much potential. Go on! Be like you father," He pointed to the crowbar. "Finish this! Finish me!"

Jack's felt tears well up in his eyes.

"_Kill me!_ Do it!" Howard shrieked. He tossed the remote to the side. Behind him, Soundwave was making an advance towards the sprawled, unmoving figure of Arcee. "Kill me! Kill your deranged, crazy, absurd father!"

Jack shook his head.

Features mangled and bloody, Howard leaped at Jack.

"_Arcee_!"

Arcee leaped upward, spraying a barrage of blasts from her gun. One of the nicked Soundwave in the knee and he dropped. Arcee lashed out and kicked him as hard as she could, knocking him back through the hole in the wall. She was still firing when she rose.

Unbeknownst to her, one of the shots had flown wide.

Howard took the partial hit. Part of his shoulder dissipated, a piece the size of a small steak, and suddenly there was blood in the air and on Jack and on the ground.

Howard stared down dumbly at the wound.

Jack reached down and gripped the crowbar, but Howard had leaped and kicked it away. Jack stepped back and out of the corner of his eye, saw the remote as it slid across the ground.

He dove for it.

Howard, spraying blood like a garden hose, the wound horrendous enough that it was sure to kill him, followed on numb, staggering feet.

Jack's fingers curled around the remote and he scrolled through the settings. Didn't know which one to press, what to click on. So he trusted his instincts and smashed the remote against the ground.

Outside, the gunfire stopped.

Optimus ceased his moaning.

Unknown to him at the time, several hundred miles away three of Agent Fowler's soldier opened clear, dazzling eyes free from that awful milky white.

And outside, his mother smiled.

He glanced up. Howard sank to his knees, staring at Jack's with insane eyes, before falling face down on the floor, blood pooling around him.

"It's over."

* * *

Miko was sobbing.

Jack knew why, and the only thing he could do was reach out and gently touch her arm. Hold her. Tell her that it was going to be alright, that Penny was in a better place free from Decepticon's, free from Howard, free from any pain.

Jack bit her tongue at the thought of his father.

They were back at the Autobot HQ. He and Miko were still bloody and muddy. Jack's mother had been taken by Agent Fowler, back to his own department, to have the parasites removed surgically, as well as to be treated for the knife wound in her stomach. Optimus lay in stasis on one of the berths, Ratchet gently picking off each parasite out from under his armor.

"Do you think we should have left him?" Jack said to Arcee. The blue femme nodded, her optics tired and weary.

Bulkhead, who sat on a large crate off to the side, said, "He's the one who caused this whole mess," He shot a saddened glance in Miko's direction and said, "He deserved to be left."

"He was still alive when we called for bridge. I checked," Jack glanced down at the ground. "I just…"

"Jack," Arcee placed a hand on the railing. "Sometimes you have to do what you have to do. It was hard for you – trust me, I've been there before – but your decision was the right decision. There was nothing we could have done for him," She looked at Miko. "Or Penny."

"She got blown up," Miko said through a long, heaved sob. "Body parts all over the place…"

The words were horrifying, coming out of Miko's mouth. She'd seen something Jack would never, ever want to see. He rubbed her back and said, "Miko…"

"Don't, Jack," Miko shoved his hand away and shook her head. "Just…don't. What did Fowler tell the authorities?"

Ratchet glanced up from his work and said, "That they found her body out in a clearing. That she had run away from home."

Raf, who was standing over Ratchet and watching him operate, said, "I doubt that they bought it, though."

"They had no choice," Ratchet answered.

"What about her parents?" Miko stood up. "Her siblings. I know them. I…" She faltered. "I want to see them. I _have _to see them."

Bulkhead and Arcee shared gazes.

"Sure," Bulkhead stood. "I'll take you, Miko. We can go later today."

"I'm coming with you," Jack said.

Miko shot him a caustic glance.

"I want…I want to tell them that I'm sorry. That I knew their daughter but didn't spend enough time with her," He wiped a lone tear from his eyes. "That maybe…none of this would have ever happened. That…that I'm…"

"Angry?" Miko glanced at him.

Jack stared at the ground so long that a part of him forgot the question. "No," He shook his head. "No. Just sad."

* * *

Howard awoke to the smell of blood.

His arm. Oh, God, his arm. It was numb. Unmoving. It wouldn't twist on command like it should have.

He had been shot. He remembered clearly now. The blue femme had missed and hit him and he had screamed, screamed so loudly. He'd attacked Jack. Tried to kill him, and then Jack had…

Smashed the remote.

If the remote smashed, the system was shattered.

"_No_," he said through a gurgle of blood. "_No, no, no, no_! This is my system. Mine," He smiled and laughed. "All mine. Like June and Jacky and…all of it…this is_ my _world. Mine. Mine, mine, _mine_."

He used his good arm to inch himself forward. Outside, the rain had died down to a slow trickle. The air was grey and the water leaked into the warehouse, through the massive hole.

Howard laughed. Rain. How _he_ hated rain.

A part of his mind was gone. He'd already lost that part. The rest was all a jumble of information, agony. Sadness. Regret for something he couldn't recall. Absolute rage. And he couldn't control it all because he was unstable, as Silas had once told him.

A madman.

A murderer.

_Inhuman_.

But what was humanity? Humans were weak, insipid, stupid creatures. He marveled the Cybertronian race.

And he was just an insane little man drowning in a pool of blood.

He heard the sound of a jet outside, and the unmistakable whirr of machinery. The Autobots! Silas, maybe? M.E.C.H, coming to his rescue? Even Fowler and his nitwit soldiers?

A clawed hand gripped the edge of the broken wall and a foot stepped over the pile of rubber.

"Is this the human, Soundwave?"

No, no, no.

The face was that of a shark. Teeth bared. Red eyes staring down at him. A Decepticon emblem was firmly stamped across his chest.

He stepped into the warehouse and examined his blaster. Behind him, Soundwave, standing in the drizzling rain.

"I do not think kindly of humans who hijack my top officers," The alien thudded forward. "You do not have a warning, human. Your species had meddled with the affairs of this race far too long. Your punishment will be your demise."

Howard gaped and tried to crawl away like a fish. But his bad arm kept him from doing so and he just lay there, watching, waiting, and knowing that it was his _end_.

The monsters were coming to get him.


End file.
